Two Sides, Every Time

The news makes this trap feel normal. Many segments feature two opposing guests, as though every issue has exactly two sides and nothing in between.

Climate coverage often pits a scientist against a denier, ignoring the vast middle ground of policy options. Health debates frame it as conventional medicine versus alternative medicine, as if blending evidence-based approaches were impossible. The format is built for conflict, not accuracy — so it quietly trains us to see two boxes where a spectrum actually exists.