In Praise of Code-Switching

Writers who don’t fit neatly into ideological boxes are often dismissed as deceptive or unserious. I’ll admit that part of my own resistance to staying within ideological lanes is selfish: I’m a contrarian who hates being confined by conventions. But I also harbor a deep conviction that truth defies partisan or ideological categories. While formal ideologies, parties, and factions can work to accomplish certain goals for the common good, none of these entities has a monopoly on truth. So when I write, rather than plainly critiquing or endorsing specific positions, I often encourage readers to think more critically about a given issue—to be led by a desire to find the truth, regardless of whether it’s convenient for their “side” or ideological persuasion.