One of the surest ways to inhibit a robust dialogue on significant issues is to attach a "generalized" label of some kind to those with whom we disagree. If we can hang the tag of "liberal", "conservative", "tax and spend_____________", "big government", or __________________ (fill in the blank) on someone without taking the time to even understand the meaning of the terms, we've "won" the argument without having to listen to an explanation of their position. Genuine debate and discussion requires listening carefully to another person and considering the argument on its merits. If we drop the labels and start to listen, we're taking a great step in the direction of civility in the public discourse.
No comments:
Post a Comment