When It’s Rational to Blame “Both Sides”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id3kFduLXVg Podcast audio: In this episode of the Ayn Rand Institute podcast, Ben Bayer and Onkar Ghate discuss both invalid and valid attempts to blame “both sides” of American politics for various outrages.Topics include: Introduction False moral equivalence “Two sides to every issue” Political violence on both sides Free speech hostility on both sides Altruism encourages tribal warfare Recognizing and resisting tribalism Resources:  Ayn Rand, “Doesn’t Life Require Compromise?”, The Virtue of Selfishness Ayn Rand, “The Missing Link,” Philosophy: Who Needs It Ayn Rand, “Global Balkanization,” The Voice of Reason  This episode was recorded on October 28, 2025, and posted on November 6, 2025. Image Credit: PM Images / DigitalVision / via Getty Images