The idea of political discourse typically brings to mind an image of shouting, finger pointing and friends and family storming away in a huff, which is not a pretty sight. Yet we also know that the alternative — idly sitting by without engaging in the debates democracy demands — is far worse. After all, a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” requires us to reflect on the best path forward, according to the people. Our challenge then comes in carrying out these reflective conversations with respect and in a way that makes them genuinely effective.
I believe that the key to maintaining healthy political discourse comes from a mindset of wanting to understand the other side’s point of view. As tempting as it is to treat these discussions like debates, going in with a closed mind ensures that we will refuse to listen to each others’ points, turning a supposed two-way conversation into two people both talking to a wall. So instead, we should make our way through discussions with the goal of finding our commonality, then our contentions. Most of us have overlap in our values, and our political beliefs are usually grounded in these similar values. Conversely, nobody you will ever talk to is an expert in every political question that exists, meaning the way in which we translate our values into policy beliefs is often dependent on other sources of information. This translation — how policies, parties and candidates reflect our shared values — is often where our differences come from, and thus, is where we must focus the energy of our conversations.
This is not to say that we can’t have disagreements about politics. On the contrary, effectively communicating about our disagreements is the best way for us to overcome our current state of national divide and polarization. However, disagreements should not preclude us from listening. We must listen to the other perspective, ask questions and learn why others believe what they do. Then, put forward your side and make your case to change their mind. If we enter the discussion with the mission of finding out where your beliefs diverge from your commonality, the worst that can happen is that neither person in the discussion gains anything new. The best-case scenario, however, is that one or both people are able to deepen their understanding of the complexities of politics and are able to integrate their newfound knowledge into their beliefs.
Our society is polarizing more and more and our ongoing refusal to communicate only deepens our existing divisions. The only way out is through, and the only way to get through this polarization is to acknowledge it and discuss our beliefs in a way that can actually lead to consensus.
Written by Aayushi Kothari
