On Conversations of a Political Manner

Digital communication has made it easier to get mad at each other than ever before. We can say things we would never say to people in person and can tune off if they give a response. We avoid the consequences of in-person confrontation. For no subject matter is this as true for partisan politics. While the tension between political parties has existed, digital technology seems to have accelerated in recent times, spreading it to other areas of life.

Political parties are semi-public organizations. For most of us, they function as a form of categorization. If we like certain policies, having a political organization that officially endorses them makes it easier to make sure they’re implemented. If we like one particular politician and need to vote for another one, political parties can be a useful way of tracking down that person. The issue with this categorization: it creates a shortcut for determining what to believe is right. Finding the truth is complicated. It takes work and effort. The lazy part of us wants us to use shortcuts when finding it. The problem is that there isn’t a consistent narrative expressed by single politicians let alone a consistent narrative from an entire party, let alone a consistent narrative with their entire party. While I think partisan commentary can sometimes be accurate and truthful, the partisanship itself can compromise the truth.

It has been suggested that political parties should be abolished. The idea interests me, but I don’t think it fully solves the problem of partisanship. Politicians would still associate with each other and endorse each other’s views. They may not be officially affiliated, which may encourage some of them to branch out a bit more, I think we would still categorize them into “left” or “right” camps and act accordingly. Social media would still be a problem.

This all raises the question: How do we stop the cycle of outrage that exists within us and listen to other viewpoints? I think the reason we get emotionally invested in political issues is because our lives bore us. When you’re stuck in the day to day grind, it’s exciting to “take on the world” by ranting on social media. I know many people, including myself, who would benefit from improving their own life before worrying endlessly about the state of the world. If and when our own life is in order, we may find ourselves better equipped and more emotionally centered to discuss things on the internet.

It is always, however, to keep an eye on politics, since they do affect our ability to maintain a fulfilling life or may infringe upon our ability to do so. Avoiding the world’s issues can be just as dangerous as avoiding our personal ones. Therefore, it will be necessary to engage in political conversations, so we must learn how to engage in them in a constructive manner.

Something I’ve discovered is that arguing accomplishes little. If you beat someone in an argument, its may not be because you are right, it could just mean you're a better wordsmith than them.

Debates are more educational if they are seen as two people trying to find the truth. When someone expresses an opinion you disagree with, ask them why they have it. Worst case scenario, you learn something. Some people will not share this mindset, preferring to deconstruct the world at every opportunity. Pay close attention to them, and make sure you are not guilty of the same behavior.

This kind of approach takes work, but it's in our best interests to know the truth. Fighting each other will not get us there.