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Harry Dreyfuss on the Importance of Listening
You might not have heard of Harry Dreyfuss, but you probably know his dad. Harry’s intellectually curious and politically active father decided to attend a speech by one of the presidential candidates. He didn’t endorse or campaign for anyone; he just listened. And, our current media environment being what it is, he faced blowback for that:
My father went to a Ted Cruz rally. My father also won an Oscar in the ’70s and his name is Richard Dreyfuss. Those two things are only related because by virtue of being famous, my father’s attendance at a Cruz rally got written about by a couple of media outlets. Those write-ups were absorbed by a number of mouth-breathers, and so began The Dumb.
Let me clarify. When asked if his being there suggested he supported Cruz, he responded, “It suggests that I’m interested in what he has to say… It’s the politics of my country, so I’m interested.” This seems like a pretty clear answer to me. I don’t necessarily endorse these views, but I’m curious about them because they are poised to have a very big effect on me and my country.
But clarity be damned, the same day as those articles were published I started getting calls and complaints asking me why my father was a Ted Cruz supporter. This is where we should leave the story of “Richard Goes To Ted Talk” behind, and just start talking about the principle of the thing. I’m really not trying to talk about my dad. I just want to address The Dumb.
As always, read the whole thing. Harry’s short essay reveals a small-mindedness that has taken over much of our political scene. The simple act of listening to someone on “the other side” is considered a betrayal by his opponents.
For his part, Richard Dreyfuss describes himself as a centrist and an Eisenhower Republican. He also called for the impeachment of George W. Bush and wants more gun control. Not exactly the red-meat party activist one would expect to hang out at a Cruz rally. But he came anyway to hear him out.
My question to the Ricochetti: What positive lesson have you learned about politics or policy by listening to politicians with whom you disagree?
Published in Politics
I agree with Richard Dreyfuss.
I’ve learned from Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders that there is a real and much larger discontent with the policies of free trade and free movement of labor in the United States, both of which have been underpinnings of mainstream Republican thought for at least as long as I’ve been paying attention; this helped me explain Romney’s loss in 2012 which I did not see coming until it was too late.
I’ve also relearned the importance of body language from Hillary Clinton – but that seems like too easy of a reach!
I note this is driven more from the Left than the Right. It is the Left that is looking to force people into narrow ways of believing and thinking.
Look, our fights over Trump, or Cruz or Rubio or Bush are nothing compared to the anger of the Left when someone steps out of line.
One of my favorite actors. The Goodbye Girl, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and of course The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz.
DVR’d his Madoff mini-series from ABC this week.
Cruz should ask him for some performance pointers.
I have learned that any of the many argued ideas and points will work given sufficient buy in on accepting the trade offs of those organizing principles.
Wasn’t he also the guy in Close Encounters?
Are you serious? Yes.
I’ve learned that people believe what they want to believe and disregard the rest.
Does it count if I agreed at first but their positions were so repellent that they turned me against them? That’s what happened with gay marriage once it became scarily obvious that they had no intention of respecting religious freedom.
Lol. I wouldn’t have asked if I knew the answer. I think I sort of semi-saw it about 30 years ago. It didn’t make a big impression. When I say I dropped out of pop culture, I mean I dropped out of pop culture. I’ve never seen an episode of Seinfeld, for instance.
I’ve learned that there’s not really that much more to say. Both sides have narrowed so much I basically know everything I need to know. What they say today is what they said 20 years ago.
Trump excluded.
For whatever reason, I had a pretty negative feeling about Donald Rumsfeld after the end of the Bush administration. When Rumsfeld’s autobiography came out, I was going to just ignore it. Instead I forced myself to buy and read it. My image of the man totally changed. I actually came to admire him greatly.
I listened today to Mona Charen’s interview with William Galston. Normally, his politics would turn me off. However, he is a man of integrity who truly believes. Listening to someone like Mr. Galston may not change my politics, but it certainly gives me greater respect for his point of view, and for him as an individual. In a time of such incredible division it is nice to feel something other than contempt for someone of an opposing viewpoint. I think it is important to challenge your own ideas by holding them up to those of another. That is, perhaps, the greatest value of Ricochet. In this forum we are constantly having our perceptions challenged by others’ perceptions. Within this crucible we all grow and learn.
Dreyfuss has always been a reflexive liberal (Brooklyn Jewish culture, hard to find a conservative, except on Israel)) but with conservative leanings. He also likes to discuss with worthy opponents. I have found his few appearances on talk shows to show he is a rare thinking person in the Hollywood culture. He is a throwback to the liberals I knew back when , who were actually worried about doing things that actually worked and delivered.
I have always found him to be worth a listen. He is also smart enough to know he cannot be hurt by the nitwits who want to excoriate him for going to see Cruz, his career is made, and he is smart enough to know that people who are not liberals still watch movies.
Whatever you may think of Richard Dreyfuss, if you’ve never read his tribute to Charlton Heston, drop everything and take it in.
It starts in the middle of this page, after a short preamble:
http://www.sheilaomalley.com/?p=7935
I disagreed with Ronald Reagan, or thought I did. I listened to him and found I didn’t.
I listened to some actor on a talk show when I was a kid. He was opining on the undue influence that celebrities had on politics. He ended up sharing his opinion on whatever the question of the day was, with the caveat that he wasn’t sure who would care or if anyone ought to. I do not recall the question. I do not recall the position. The actor was named Richard Dreyfuss.
Listening to Obama when he spoke in the mosque to the Islamic Society of Baltimore I learned that Islam has always been a part of the fabric of America. Who knew?
I learned long ago that in order to win an argument, know the other person’s arguments better than he does.
I probably read an article from a liberal writer more often than I listen to a politician. I’ve learned that liberalism is more persuasive with a deeper appeal than we sometimes realize. There are intelligent, sincere people who think that way.
Partly that is because political conservatism is an incomplete philosophy. That comes from an honest humility. But it also leaves certain questions unanswered, and people crave answers. Liberalism claims to offer answers, to refuse to accept “we can’t.”
Watched Madoff this week, along with all the pre-interviews he did on playing the role (thanks Roku!). He considered Madoff the 2nd most despicable character he has played, after Dick Cheney.
https://youtu.be/nKCt3Tg4V_0
Yes, on ABC’s morning circus show, he called our last Republican VP more evil than Madoff, much to the laughter of the behind camera dolts.
He’s a great actor, and the mini-series is worth watching, although they certainly took creative license. But… holy cow.
Let’s not overlook one very important thing. We live in a post-argument world. Sides are chosen and sides are defended. That is the end of it.
I just did as you instructed. That is just tremendous. The guy can really write.
I think the Left/Right divide in this country is pretty well established and the issues clear enough. If a friend of mine were going to a Bernie Sanders rally to ‘listen’, I would assume him/her to be a Progressive Democrat. That might not be fair on my part but they should have been been paying attention to the political landscape, at least a little.
Well, sure. Weren’t the Barbary pirates technically Muslim?
Hugh Hewitt has played some interesting clips of Richard Dreyfuss re-enacting Stephen A. Douglas in the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
I would say that he did an expert job, but I guess no one really knows what Stephen Douglas sounded like…
I know most of the Old Crew of Hollywood conservatives and Republicans. Dreyfuss was always considered a friend; not an ally, but a friend and an honest patriot. Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman are younger actors who are also reasonable.
Decent Hollywood liberals made “Saving Private Ryan”, “Apollo 13”, “Finding Nemo”, “Quiz Show”, and all of George Clooney’s movies. Today’s Disney is packed with old fashioned liberals. They aren’t all foaming-at-the-mouth Alinskyite stereotypes, lavender warriors, or anti-Christian plotters.
I don’t know or care if Richard Dreyfuss supports Ted Cruz or not.
Mr. Dreyfuss is getting out, listening, and forming opinions first hand. That is what it takes for a strong republic.
Well done Mr. Dreyfuss.
Pretty gratuitous to describe Dick Cheney as the most despicable character he has portrayed. Maybe he was doing that to get back into the fold. I do not understand the immediate vitriol against Cheney. Or, for that matter, against George W. Bush, Charleton Heston, Wayne LaPierre, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and so many others.
They weren’t merely technically Muslim. They were considered by their ambassadors in London and Paris to be jihadis and therefore legitimate. So we had to sink their ships and shell their cities.
Yes, I was going to say that explaining to the other person that he’s an ignorant bigot, that’s all there is to it, seems to work better.