In this blog post, I want to address a question that has been bothering me for a long time: why is it so hard for us to engage in constructive dialogue about the challenges and opportunities that we face in our society? Why do we tend to avoid or dismiss the perspectives and experiences of those who disagree with us, instead of trying to understand them and find common ground? Why do we let the most extreme and divisive voices dominate the public discourse, while the majority of us remain silent or apathetic? And what are the consequences of this situation for our democracy, our communities, and our future?
I believe that these questions are crucial for us to reflect on, especially in a time when we are facing unprecedented discontent, and the spread of misinformation and hate. These issues require us to work together, to listen to each other, to learn from each other, and to find solutions that are fair, effective, and sustainable. However, this is not possible if we are not willing or able to have difficult conversations about them.
Difficult conversations are those that involve topics that are complex, controversial, sensitive, or emotionally charged. They are also those that challenge our assumptions, values, beliefs, or identities. They can make us feel uncomfortable, defensive, angry, or vulnerable. They can also trigger strong reactions from others who may disagree with us or misunderstand us. Therefore, many of us tend to avoid them or handle them poorly. We may resort to silence, denial, evasion, or aggression. We may also seek out information or opinions that confirm our existing views and ignore or reject those that contradict them. This is known as confirmation bias.
However, by avoiding or mishandling difficult conversations, we are missing out on valuable opportunities to learn, grow, and improve ourselves and our relationships. We are also allowing the space for dialogue to be filled by those who have no interest in finding common ground or solving problems. These are the far-right and controversial voices that exploit our fears, prejudices, and frustrations to promote their agendas of division and hatred. They use inflammatory rhetoric, sensationalism, and misinformation to attract attention and influence people. They also create echo chambers where their followers only hear what they want to hear and reinforce each other’s biases and extremism. This can lead some people down a rabbit hole where they become isolated from reality and vulnerable to radicalisation.
This is a dangerous situation for our society because it undermines our social cohesion, our trust in each other and in our institutions, and our ability to cooperate and collaborate for the common good. It also erodes our critical thinking skills, our empathy, and our sense of responsibility. It makes us more susceptible to manipulation and deception by those who seek to exploit us or harm us.
Therefore, I think it is imperative that we reclaim the space for dialogue and have more difficult conversations about the issues that matter to us. We need to break out of our bubbles and echo chambers and expose ourselves to different perspectives and experiences. We need to challenge ourselves and others to think critically, creatively, and compassionately. We need to respect ourselves and others as human beings who have dignity, rights, and potential. We need to acknowledge our differences but also recognise our commonalities. We need to seek understanding before judgment, agreement before conflict, and action before complacency.
This is not easy but it is possible. And it is necessary if we want to create a better world for ourselves and for future generations.
