Most of what Ben Shapiro says, I completely disagree with. He says things that fundamentally contradict what I believe in.
Yet, I like him. I watch his videos all the time.
Beware of the Confirmation Bias Loop
A lot of people delete people who they disagree with. This will leave you in a “confirmation bias” loop where you are only seeing information that reaffirms what you think is true.
I do the opposite. I listen to people who I passionately disagree with. While listening, I ask myself, “What can I learn from this?”
I’m not only talking about learning about the particular topic being discussed. I’m also referring to learning how the argument is structured and how they present their reasoning.
Ben Shapiro – love him or hate him – is an utter genius in the way he formulates arguments. He’s quick on his feet, provides relevant examples, and has a way of leaving the people he debates at a loss for words.
I don’t agree with the content. But I learn and take note of his debate style and how he cuts to the heart of the matter.
Becoming Smarter By Learning From People You Disagree With
By putting people into my feed like Shapiro and others who I don’t agree with, I become smarter.
I’m working on exposing myself to various viewpoints, even if I don’t agree. It helps me to see flaws in my thinking and into my blind spots.
This is lacking – leaders who are willing to consider alternative perspectives that don’t match with their own.
Shapiro and I Were Both Severely Bullied and Assaulted
One other thing that caused me to like Shapiro. He shared how he endured extreme bullying, including getting beat up and physically assaulted. I also endured extreme bullying, including getting beat up and physically assaulted – the same exact thing.
It’s possible to fundamentally disagree with someone and even at times be offended by them, and at the same time still like and respect them as a human being.
What Can We Learn from Ben Shapiro?
In addition to his top-notch debating style and ability to think quickly on his feet, there are some things we can learn from Ben Shapiro as we continue to expand our own influence as leaders:
- Be unafraid to share your opinions: Shapiro does not hesitate to share what he thinks and feels, as well as his reasoning behind his beliefs. He makes a stand for what he believes in.
- Be consistent: Shapiro keeps showing up. He keeps posting, talking, and sharing. He doesn’t let the critics stop him from putting himself out there. Consistency is crucial.
- He takes criticism in stride: There are a lot of people out there who can dish it out, but can’t take it. In essence, they can’t handle their own medicine. In my opinion, Shapiro is not one of those people. He’s said very bold and controversial things, and has taken serious fire from people for saying those things. Yet he continues on. He dishes it out and he can also take it.
- He shares relevant examples and data: While there are times when he is just sharing his opinion, he’s often sharing examples, case studies, data, and research behind what he says.
- He associates with other influential people: I’ve always been a believer that we are who we associate with. This is why I’ve done my best to create a network of successful and genuine people. Shapiro is impressive with his ability to consistently spend time with the big names in his industry.
Shapiro is a smart guy. He’s worked hard for his success and influence, and he’s someone to take note of. While he has his fair share of haters, he also has a massive following and is wildly successful. Sometimes he offends my beliefs, but when he doesn’t offend me I find myself admiring the guy.
What Could Ben Shapiro Do Better as a Leader and Influencer?
Like every other person on earth, Shapiro is a human being. He has his flaws, as do I and everyone else. There are two main things I’ve noted that he could do better.
One, he’s quite harsh when he criticizes others. I like that Shapiro shares his opinions and stands up for what he believes in, but sometimes he takes it too far. He’s made it clear that he thinks Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is plain stupid. He’s also constantly making fun of Joe Biden. Truthfully, it sometimes comes across as a bit uncouth.
There are things I could make fun of Shapiro for, but instead I’m talking in this post about respecting people we disagree with. One of my core values is kindness and while I’m imperfect and make mistakes, I do my best to be kind to others.
As an influencer, when Shapiro makes fun of others he’s propagating the idea that this is OK. The truth is that bullying is not OK, causing all sorts of deep challenges in our society. I’m surprised that Shapiro is so harsh towards others when he has endured so much bullying himself. In my opinion, Shapiro could say the same things he’s saying without being so harsh.
The second thing Shapiro could do better is not make everything a right (republican) vs. left (democrat) issue. I know that, as a republican, he thinks of most things from the political perspective. To his credit, that’s his job and that’s his way of operating. After all, he’s a political commentator. At the same time, some issues transcend politics.
For example, let’s take the issue of guns. This is something that I passionately disagree with Shapiro on, yet I acknowledge and respect Shapiro’s insights on the issue. Shapiro has made many videos talking about America’s gun violence situation. In my opinion, the issue of guns is not so much a political issue as it is a public health and safety issue.
Yes, guns are absolutely something that are debated in the political sphere. But because it’s such a huge problem, it goes well beyond the walls of the Senate floor. Shapiro would benefit from thinking of the gun issue as a public health and safety issue more than a political issue. When Shapiro keeps compartmentalizing the gun issue in a right vs. left box, his argument comes across as a bit dogmatic.
One thing I do love about Shapiro is his critique of movies. I thought his criticism of Avengers: Endgame was spot on and touched on exactly what was lacking in that blockbuster movie.
Let’s Expose Ourselves To More Perspectives
I have no connection to Ben Shapiro and whether or not you like him is completely up to you. My goal here with this post was to encourage you to open yourself up to perspectives and opinions you disagree with. Be a little kinder and more understanding. Be slow to judge. Avoid assumptions. Instead, ask questions. Stay curious. Be respectful to others and stay true to your values. When you lead by example, you change the world.
Jeff Davis is an award-winning author, most recently publishing The Power of Authentic Leadership: Activating the 13 Keys to Achieving Prosperity Through Authenticity. Connect with him on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter. For three free books (The Power of Authentic Leadership, Reach Your Mountaintop, and Traveling Triumphs) in exchange for being added to his email list, email his Executive Assistant at meg@jeffdspeaks.com. Learn more about his story on his About page and feel free to check out his author page on Amazon. Also feel free to contact Jeff directly via jeff@jeffdspeaks.com. What Jeff does best is sharing his work experiences in a way that adds real value to others. Consider bringing him to speak as a mental health, authentic leadership, and/or resiliency expert at your next event. He’s also available as an Executive Coach.
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