I’m always fascinated by how people view the world around them. What makes them tick? How can people view the same facts about a situation and yet come to such wildly differing conclusions? Especially in the fields of economics, politics,  and philosophy, how is it possible that we all come to these incredibly different conclusions about what the proper course of action should be?

How can we best help one another move towards the truth in a given situation? How do we challenge each other and find new points of view without being uncivil? How do we know if our viewpoint is wrong and the person we view as being ignorant is actually right?

From Robert Wentzel:

On a personal level when we discuss economics, politics and philosophy, we must seek to tie our opponents up in knots. Don’t battle them with long oratory. If they are thinkers, give them a book. But if they are boobs, counter them with questions. If they are in favor of the minimum wage, ask them why it shouldn’t be at $500 per hour then? Ask them why they think the laws of supply and demand don’t work for wages? If they are against gold as money because “You can’t eat gold,” ask them if eating money is something that should be essential to a money.
The Socratic method is very powerful against the unthinking masses. They haven’t thought out their positions, so the right questions can cause them to get so backed into a corner that they may even realize the absurdity of their position. Naturally, the more you practice the Socratic method, the better you get at. It is truly fencing against an unarmed man.
On an even more personal level, the more you know about how the economy works and what the future may hold, the better off you are.
To know that accelerating price inflation may be coming, that the Federal Reserve causes the business cycle by its money manipulations, that the ever-growing police state may result in serious infringements on our liberties is all very valuable knowledge. It means we can  prepare for what is coming. Ignorance of these possibilities is not bliss, it is extremely dangerous.
Jews in Germany and Austria died because they were ignorant of the political situation developing around them. Sigmund Freud and Ludwig von Mises, because they were not ignorant of the environment, were able to flee and survive.
The more you know and correctly understand the developing situation the better off you are. Knowledge is power. Ignorance is mental blindness.