Are you a conservative student? Have you ever argued with a liberal student? Here’s the key to winning over the mind of the liberal student… Don’t give them too much truth at once.

That’s the recommendation given by writer Ben Starnes in a clever piece at Intercollegiate Review.

Truth vs. Bleeding Heart Liberals

You know, maybe it’s that one guy on campus who won’t admit that the welfare state isn’t working, no matter how many facts are thrown at him. Or maybe it’s that girl who fearfully clings to the mantra of “a woman’s right to choose” whenever her conscience detects the hideous issue of abortion re-surfacing. No matter how much truth is thrown at them, these so-called “bleeding heart liberals” seem incapable of acknowledging reality.

As political conservatives, we might often find ourselves scratching our heads, musing: “why won’t they just be reasonable? Why won’t they just see things how they really are? Why won’t they just concede the truth of the matter?”

But in our individual attempts to redeem mankind, unadulterated and unfiltered truth can actually cause more harm than health. As Plutarch, an ancient Greek historian, astutely observes: “he who administers truth to a patient is like a doctor who administers a dosage; the skillful doctor avoids killing the patient by administering the proper dosage at the proper time.”

Unfortunately, such classical wisdom concerning interpersonal dialogue has fallen on deaf ears among many of the most prominent heads of conservative talk radio, who in turn have influenced how many of us have come to think and talk about our contemporaries.

Be sure to read it all.