Has the partisan divide wrecked the art of conversation?

[Kitty 34]

Covid didn't help especially when that seemed to go political.

 

[soccerdad72]

Bingo. It's made finding your echo chamber so much easier, who wants to leave the happy place where everyone agrees with you? When you do, it's even more jarring because you thought everyone thought like you. Yeah, tech has def made this so much worse.

Covid also contributed as we sat at home for months (to years depending on your state), with nothing to do but find those echo chambers.

I've been around long enough to remember the days of the original Debate Board here on the DIS. Unfortunately, debates these days are nothing like those days, IMO. I don't know if that's technology, Covid or partisanship, but the way people debate these days just seems different. There's less meaningful dialog and more arguing than ever.

 

[tvguy]

Not in my circle of friends, but that may because most of my friends are from my work days. We spent our careers considering and including multiple viewpoints on almost every story we did. A hard habit to kick after being trained to do that more than 50 years ago.

 

[tvguy]

Covid also contributed as we sat at home for months (to years depending on your state), with nothing to do but find those echo chambers.

It was completely the opposite for me in the 15 months I worked from home because of Zoom. We were linked for our entire 8 hour shift with EVERYONE involved. I no longer had to call a Reporter or Photographer out in the field or someone else where in the building , (or walk to their desk or department and our building was 2 blocks long). They were right there on my computer the entire day. And the amount of non work related conversation........other during the time newscasts were on the air........dominated the zoom call.
And even now, in retirement, technology has made conversation easier and freer. I have a Board Meeting on Zoom this afternoon and a large part of the call will not be business, but social.

 

[citruscurtis]

Covid didn't help especially when that seemed to go political.

Aftershocks... pandemic politics and the end of the old international order .. Colin kahl

Fantastic book..
Should never have left the library and into friends book store

First 80 pages are riveting...1918-20 flu...a little lag and then history of us to read you can't put the book down... well okay... were having great weather in Yuma...so reading is on hold

 

[citruscurtis]

I've been around long enough to remember the days of the original Debate Board here on the DIS.

What are the dates???... because Jason and I were always being put in probation and mods never directed us to that board.. one of the reasons I left here... censorship was rampant... and no.. I don't venture to the dark side choice here

 

[georgina]

Conversation is fine as long as it avoids politics, which is hard to do living so close to DC.

If only we could respectfully listen more and talk a little less........ We can learn from listening. We learn nothing from talking over others...... Too many people don't care there are two parts to a conversation.

I can't respectfully listen to people spouting lies and hate, just no.

 

[citruscurtis]

I can't respectfully listen to people spouting lies and hate, just no.

.... and that is the rub... yesterday that speaker was spouting their truths and concerns... that is when you redirect to another topic with out rebuttal.... because rebuttal/last word is always discord...oh my...why is that word banned ???

 

[soccerdad72]

What are the dates???... because Jason and I were always being put in probation and mods never directed us to that board.. one of the reasons I left here... censorship was rampant... and no.. I don't venture to the dark side choice here

I've been around the DIS (under different iterations) since nearly the beginning (1998 or so).

 

[BrianL]

I can't respectfully listen to people spouting lies and hate, just no.

And the problem is that so much political discourse has devolved into just that.

 

[DCLMP]

And the problem is that so much political discourse has devolved into just that.

Some people view lies and hate as anything they disagree with.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Some people view lies and hate as anything they disagree with.

Exactly!

 

[cheryl.UK]

In the past, when we came to visit the US, we would always strike up conversations with people, in lines, at the bar at the pool but now we are quite nervous about this. I know, that logically, the people we meet are the same as people we met before but things just seem more extreme now. We are nervous of getting into a conversation we don't want to be having. Last time we were at WDW we chatted briefly with a couple at the bar but then the guy straight out asked a question about how Brits view the president. We didn't want to get into that conversation so politely left citing a made up arrangement with family. I know deep down that this was crazy but some of the things you see on You Tube just make me uncomfortable

 

[cheryl.UK]

I've been around long enough to remember the days of the original Debate Board here on the DIS. Unfortunately, debates these days are nothing like those days, IMO. I don't know if that's technology, Covid or partisanship, but the way people debate these days just seems different. There's less meaningful dialog and more arguing than ever.

I remember those days. Mostly it was a lively place to hang out but sometimes it got a bit OTT Not sure why it eventually got shut down but as they say 'this is why we can't have nice things'

 

[tzolkin]

Covid didn't help especially when that seemed to go political.

I think Covid politics is still a major factor in the divide. In both my personal and professional life, I regularly hear very emotionally charged comments on the subject that immediately shut down conversations and create a divide between the two "sides". For some people, it seems to have become central to their identity and is brought up even when the conversation has nothing to do with Covid or politics. I think the experience created an "us vs them" mentality that has unfortunately permeated every aspect of their lives.

 

[LilyWDW]

I mean, the fact that people have become more outspoken about some subjects HAS changed conversations because I refuse to engage with people who are against things that are very VERY important to me. There are some subjects that I will simply not bend on so there is no point in me listening to their toxic diatribe about it.

 

[_19disnA]

Any discussion relating to covid probably belongs in the controversial area.

 

[BrianL]

I think Covid politics is still a major factor in the divide. In both my personal and professional life, I regularly hear very emotionally charged comments on the subject that immediately shut down conversations and create a divide between the two "sides". For some people, it seems to have become central to their identity and is brought up even when the conversation has nothing to do with Covid or politics. I think the experience created an "us vs them" mentality that has unfortunately permeated every aspect of their lives.

The problem is that people have made these stances part of their personality. It has become like being a fan of a sports team or big movie franchise. I think social media has really pushed this to the extreme. I find that a lot of people these days are more concerned with what they are, rather than who they are. Representing their "side" becomes everything they are about.

 

[DCLMP]

I think Covid politics is still a major factor in the divide. In both my personal and professional life, I regularly hear very emotionally charged comments on the subject that immediately shut down conversations and create a divide between the two "sides". For some people, it seems to have become central to their identity and is brought up even when the conversation has nothing to do with Covid or politics. I think the experience created an "us vs them" mentality that has unfortunately permeated every aspect of their lives.

You would think with everything going on in the world that subject would be a distant memory. I have to be honest I never hear anyone discussing it anymore not personally or professionally. Cost of living seems to be the topic of choice in my world.

I would have to search it out on social media... my social media algorithm just doesn't take me there. I'm into investing, economics, and travel.

 

[LuvOrlando]

In the past, when we came to visit the US, we would always strike up conversations with people, in lines, at the bar at the pool but now we are quite nervous about this. I know, that logically, the people we meet are the same as people we met before but things just seem more extreme now. We are nervous of getting into a conversation we don't want to be having. Last time we were at WDW we chatted briefly with a couple at the bar but then the guy straight out asked a question about how Brits view the president. We didn't want to get into that conversation so politely left citing a made up arrangement with family. I know deep down that this was crazy but some of the things you see on You Tube just make me uncomfortable

You are not the only one, many Americans dodge it too & were 100% right to walk away, that chat was not going anywhere fun.

These days some individuals push nearly all topics into a strange space more geared towards parsing out who it is ok to hate than towards achieving any communication. As soon as I hear any US Presidents name I remove myself because whatever I thought we were going to chat about is gonna slide into something else in a hot minute - nope, nope, nope.

I'm sorry it happened to you, so unnecessary, this is not the majority of us at all.