Extremism?

Question

My question is based on an experience I've just had in a seperate question. Someone asked about the environment, and the folks who answered seemed to flame on her.
Which brings up my multiple part thought/question.

Is it possible for 'us' to have an open dialougue and then find a communal answer which draws people together instead of pitting them against one another. My example sits everywhere around us. People today dont even try and understand one another; instead, we insist on being 'Right'. Democracy is about dialougue, and working together toward a common interest.
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the 'b' section of this question is ...If 'we' are so divergent in our thinking how can this democracy last another 100 years? How will 'we' --you and me-- re-empower ourselves and save our dieing experiment...democracy?

Answer 1

Excellent questions! First, people are prone to attack what they cannot understand, comprehend, or is different from what they have been taught. I'm sure you've heard someone say: "But my parents always taught me...".

Second, we have to eventually reach a level of social and moral civility to co-exist in society, and to continue our democracy for future generations. Thank you for these questions, they should serve as a good cerebral exercise for all of us.

Answer 2

I agree but I get in my moods. 90% of the time if I open a question and see one negative word, I immediately back out of it. And 90% of the time, I am very factual in my answers.

BUT then I have days like today where I'm just in a mood. I call them 'site a riot' days. LOL

As for your question, it's pretty hard to have an open dialogue when there is a lot of right wing media telling partial stories ... this stuff just fuels the anger of the neocons. Seriously, it has them convinced that all liberals are nonworking ppl who want to take their money and live on welfare. They are so ill-informed that most don't even know that Clinton reformed welfare and you can't even be on it more than 3 to 5 years on your life.

Anyways, I wish it was as you ask but that's pretty impossible at this point. You can't debate with angry ppl who don't know real facts, ya know?

Answer 3

I'm really sorry to bash Bush but we are not getting the unifying leadership we need. This administration encourages division. "Either you're with us or you're bad". In reality, many of us care very deeply about our country, yet have differing opinions.
There is so much anger out here. Why? Perhaps because we feel so helpless to make things better.
Yet, we can get involved. Learn who is running for office. Learn what they are about. Then VOTE!
We have to turn this baby around. I've got kids I care about!

Answer 4

We - you and I - will never re-empower ourselves to save out dying democracy. Jerry Brown was correct. We had the chance to take back our country and we blew it. We laughed at him. Now who is laughing?

Answer 5

Only in Fantasyland.