In Praise of Ambivalence

The Takeaway

In our current world, where there are so many news stories circulating via so many media–on the Internet, on TV and on the radio–it’s sometimes hard to wrap our heads around the stories, much less figure out which side we stand on.
Should we be aiding Syrian rebels? Or letting them fight their own fight? Are undocumented immigrants criminals? Or refugees? Is Edward Snowden a hero? Or a traitor?
Ian Leslie is a London-based writer who believes we should stop fixating on decisive answers. His new piece for Slate is called “Ambivalence is Awesome…Or is it Awful?” He’s also the author of “Born Liars: Why We Can’t Live Without Deceit.”

Do you support journalism that strengthens our democracy?

At The World, we believe strongly that human-centered journalism is at the heart of an informed public and a strong democracy. We see democracy and journalism as two sides of the same coin. If you care about one, it is imperative to care about the other.

Every day, our nonprofit newsroom seeks to inform and empower listeners and hold the powerful accountable. Neither would be possible without the support of listeners like you. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!