Net neutrality and the culture of contempt

Ultimately, the ping-pong match of network neutrality will not be resolved by political struggles over control of the Federal Communications Commission. A lasting solution can only come from bipartisan legislation, which will involve compromise. Identifying the points of compromise, places where each side is willing to give ground, is impossible if the two sides see each other as enemies worthy of contempt rather than basically good people who can reasonably disagree, even about important issues. I agree with Arthur Brooks that we need to think better of one another — and recognize that even our political adversaries are merely our partners in the joint, but messy, project of democratic governance.

[Daniel Lyons is an associate professor at Boston College Law School]