NYT Op-Ed on Shunning Family Over Politics Sparks Debate

The Original Op-Ed: Shunning Family

• ✍️ A New York Times op-ed by David Lit explores the author's decision to be rude and distant to his brother-in-law, Matt, due to differing political views, particularly around vaccination during the pandemic.
• 👨‍🏫 Lit, a former speechwriter for President Obama, initially felt a civic duty to shun Matt, who was a Joe Rogan fan and an electrician, contrasting with Lit's Ivy League background.
• 🗣️ The author recounts his "principled unfriendliness" and "cold shoulder strategy," viewing it as a way to motivate Matt to change his views, drawing parallels to historical shunning practices like Hester Prynne's.

The Backfire of Ostracism

• 🏄‍♂️ Lit's strategy backfired when he began surfing with Matt, discovering common ground unrelated to politics and realizing his ostracism was ineffective.
• 💡 He concludes that shunning plays into the hands of demagogues, making it easier to divide people and potentially incite violence, rather than changing worldviews.
• 🤝 The op-ed suggests that common ground and connection, even on small, non-political matters, are more effective than alienation.

Critiques and Broader Implications

• 🤦‍♂️ Commentators express a lack of self-awareness in the op-ed, highlighting the divisive rhetoric prevalent in mainstream media and political discourse, such as labeling the unvaccinated.
• 📺 The discussion points out the hypocrisy of shunning while simultaneously seeking common ground, and notes that such introspection might be more common in a post-Trump political climate.
• ⚖️ The sentiment is that attributing the worst motives and shunning those with different opinions is a "monstrous way to live," and that generosity and persuasion based on shared values are more constructive.
• 🔄 Concerns are raised that while the left has been sensorious, some on the right have adopted similar condemnatory approaches, especially in victory.