So Sunday evening I went over to Border's and quickly read through Sissy Nation. One of the things the author described was the absence of places today where people meet to meaningfully discuss different views and opinions. He cited an incident where he observed an older gentleman and younger gentleman (perhaps a son and father-in-law) talking at a bar. The older man asks the younger man what he thought of the radio station he suggested to listen to, which was NPR. The young man mentioned that he was interested at first but then noticed that most of the stories were from the same perspective and that he questioned some of the things that were being said. The older man went into a tirade on how NPR is all he listens to and is always right and so on and so forth which effectively ended the conversation. (Note: you could change the word NPR to Fox News and get the same conversation.)
The whole segment really resonated with me. I wish there was more open public discussion and dialogue. I wish there was a coffee shop I could go to where people were gathered around open tables and you could drop into the conversation at random. Where there was give and take in discussion and meaningful, edifying, substantive conversation that influenced and altered people's behavior. I mean, really, where can you find something like that? You can't talk in the library. People at Barnes and Noble and Borders are either in small, tight couples or groups or alone and listening to their I-pod. (I've been guilty of this too.) And even if a discussion would get generated in a larger group, are we civil, kind and open minded enough to keep it going for even five minutes?
I think that's why I love the Kairos lunches so much. (And probably why I too often leave chastising myself for talking too much.) We really do have these really great conversations there. The only somewhat negative is that we tend to be a fairly homogeneous group. A little more diversity would add something to the conversation.
The only other place I feel like I get this is in blogs. But it's not the same when it's not in person or in real time.
Know what I mean?
6 comments:
What are you kidding me. I do all this stuff and you are completly wrong. I don't want to hear your opinion.
I do know what you mean. I was thinking of the Kairos lunches as I read your first two paragraphs. And I can relate to part about chastening self for too much talk.
But it seems that the scene cited in the book had less to do with lack of a suitable public forum and more to do with the rules of engagement. Didn't Lewis, Tolkien and their crew hang out and do this sort of thing at a bar (if you'd like to be more classy about it, call it a pub).
I wonder if the question you pose about our capability to have this sort of dialogue is more the issue than lack of public forum.
I also wonder if our perceptions of hegemony/homogeny are related to this (I think this is the same thing expressed by the buzz words diversity & open mindedness). That is you first must agree that civility, open mindedness and kindness are things to be valued and practiced.
Even if you get to this point, there seems to be a certain shell game that goes on in our public forum in which the meanings of the values are constantly shifting, usually depending on which way the tide of the debate is going.
I haven't entirely sorted it out yet so I don't know quite how to express it; but I think it's one of those things that I know it when I see it.
Well, I hijacked your blog again and I've been trying not to do that so much. That's what happens when you get people thinking. Sorry.
Joe W.
I think it is because people hear enough opinions through all these different sources that they have had enough and want to stick to their own.
Think about it; back in the time before TV and such you didn't have an oversaturation of opinions, and it war harder for opinionated blowhards to shout their stupidity to the masses. Therefore, people weren't as sick of each other and their opinions. At least, that is my take on it. I'm increasingly tired of other people's opinions, especially when they don't align themselves with reality or scripture (both are important).
maybe you should purposefully build a diverse group to get together to discuss issues and current events.
No need to apologize Joe. Matt on the other hand . . . .
OK. Obviously, the first comment would be the reason not to participate in the first place.....
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