Facts, Photos, Franken

Agreeing and disagreeing about the big picture and particular pictures

Political disagreements can be impossibly complicated and draw on a huge range of factual and normative views. So maybe it’s not surprising when we can’t agree on the big picture.

But what’s wild is how often we can’t even agree on some small picture, some narrow question, some simple fact. Like what is or isn’t shown in a particular photograph, or what is or isn’t stated in a particular twitter post or video clip.

And if we can’t even agree on the small particular pieces what hope is there for agreeing on big complicated conclusions?

Correction: the photo of Franken holding his hands above Tweeden’s breasts was described by her as groping.

Thank you for your interest friends and enemies and internet strangers.