The Next Big Idea Daily How to Be Reasonable in an Age of Contempt
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Sep 30, 2026 
Utah Governor Spencer Cox, author of Off-Ramp, champions peacemaking and healthier political disagreement. Stanford philosopher Krista Lawlor, author of Being Reasonable, explores reasonableness as more than cold logic. They discuss contempt versus disagreement, bridging political divides, motive attribution, curiosity, emotions, competing values, and choosing relationships over the satisfaction of being right.
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Contempt Is More Dangerous Than Disagreement
- Contempt, not disagreement, turns political differences into social corrosion.
- Disagreement challenges conclusions; contempt declares the other person inferior.
Opposing Candidates Became Architects Together
- Spencer Cox and Chris Peterson publicly affirmed shared Utah identity despite opposing views.
- Their “We Approve” ad went viral and ranked among the most effective anti-polarization interventions tested.
Why Political Opponents Seem Malicious
- Motive attribution asymmetry makes each side view its own actions as loving and opponents’ actions as hateful.
- Naming this bias helps people notice when they assume evil motives instead of merely disagreeing with conclusions.
