Three Simple Ways to Transform Disagreement into Dialogue
Guidelines for mending the toxic division in our relationships, our lives, and our country
“Let us extinguish the flames of hatred with a flood of dialogue”
Let’s be honest, most of us suck at disagreeing. We get angry, frustrated, and defensive, and our arguments lead nowhere. Often, they make situations worse.
This lack of civil discourse has been on full display on a national stage, from our news and social media to the Presidential Debates themselves. These days, there is almost no listening, respect, good faith, or even an agreement on basic facts in our political conversations.
But the ugly truth is that the manner in which our candidates and news anchors “debate” reflects how many of us treat people in our lives. We come in with our heels dug in, ready to attack, and unwilling to listen. Our disagreements devolve into destructive arguments and leave us more convinced of our own ideas, assured that the other side is crazy.
Given the divisive nature of political discourse the last four years, I hope America has learned how toxic and unproductive this approach is. I want us to heal our personal relationships that have been damaged by disagreement…
