Why Be Reasonable?

Today we're asking, why be reasonable? Why be reasonable? Isn't it obvious? I mean, if we all acted like reasonable people, then we'd all get along.

What do you

mean, we'll all get along? Have you had any actual interactions with human beings lately? Any reasonable person would see that we're never going to agree about religion, about politics, or really anything else.

I don't

know.

I think we can agree as long as we act reasonably.

So, I mean, if we just stay open-minded and keep listening to each other, we'll see that there's a reasonable compromise everywhere we look.

Reasonable according

to who? According to a reasonable person.

We're just going around in circles.

If you need a reasonable person to judge whether we're being reasonable, the whole argument is doomed.

And I think it is doomed, Josh.

Just look at all the polarization everywhere around us.

I just think human beings are not built to agree.

That's a bit pessimistic, Lanier.

I mean, surely there are lots of things we can all agree about.

Look, you and I, for example, we both recognize the greatness of

the Godfather.

So true.

But you, Josh, you foolishly think that Tarantino is just a hack.

I think that.

Isn't that just a truth? No way.

He's a genius.

See, we've been having this argument for years, and we aren't even close to agreeing.

And if people can't even agree on the things that bring them joy, what hope is there about things like religion and politics?