Once a discussion has degenerated to the level of sloganeering and shouting --- bumper sticker warfare --- how can it get back to intelligent debate? Try to:
- Pause --- slow down the action-reaction, stimulus-response cycle, break out of provocation-retaliation, cease fire to allow time to...
- Listen --- actually pay attention to the other side's remarks, and then...
- Reflect --- in two senses: echo back what has been heard, to confirm understanding; and think about the opposing viewpoint, thus beginning to...
- Empathize --- identify and feel with the "enemy"... ...to the point where it's clear that there is no enemy.
- Tuesday, August 31, 1999 at 17:13:47 (EDT) = Datetag19990831
TopicThinking - TopicPhilosophy
(correlates: BigLessons, IdeaThievery, WarAndCheckers, ...)
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