Kwame Anthony Appiah wrote that, “Conversations...begin with the sort of imaginative engagement you get when you read a novel or watch a movie or attend to a work of art that speaks from some place other than your own. So I'm using the word 'conversation' not only for literal talk but also as a metaphor for engagement with the experience and ideas of others...Conversation doesn't have to lead to consensus about anything, especially not values; it's enough that it helps people get used to one another.” (azqoutes.com)
Of the prompts below, please respond to your choice of 1 or 2 below.
- As in the quote above you can see that conversation is important to Appiah. How might classes on conversation though our education system help prepare us to communicate with others more effectively?
- Do you feel that you learn, either positively or negatively, from conversations with others even if no agreement is made?
- Why do you believe people shy away from controversial topics?
- Is there anything we as individuals can do to avoid conflict when talking about controversial issues?
- What do you believe has caused the lack of dialogue between people with differing opinions?
"Do you feel that you learn, either positively or negatively, from conversations with others even if no agreement is made?"
ReplyDelete-Yes. I think that almost any conversation can provide important insight not only on the views of the person you are talking to, but also to the different views that exist on the topic at hand. I think I learn positively and negatively depending on the conversation and the person. It is important to have conversations and to learn from others because through conversation, we can learn about ourselves, others, and the issues surrounding our society.
I'd encourage you read about Hegel on the dialectical method and what is known as the triad. I'd also introduce you to the writings of Derrida on binary opposition and "logocentricism." Derrida suggests that certain audiences tend to favor one part of a binary opposition pair over the other, placing the one part in an authoritarian position in society. Derrida's method (deconstructionism) aimed to attack the foundational claims of these authoritarian ideas. Deconstruction is necessary to "open up" society to the "dance" of ideas where no ideas become central or too powerful.
DeleteI like the idea of having our society open up to different ideas and not making one idea more or less important. When that happens, issues are glanced over and not talked enough about. I'll have to research Hegel and Derrida.
Delete" why do people shy away from controversial topics?"
ReplyDeleteI feel that the main reason is fear of offending anyone and the general uneasy feeling that you get discussing the topic. Even when I am pondering topics, such as the ones discussed in class, I often think "Is this right? Am I morally wrong for coming to this conclusion? Is there a different way i can word this or come to a better understanding?" just these thought create a convincing argument that the topic should be left alone, even though these topics need to be discussed no matter how uncomfortable you feel.
"What do you believe has caused the lack of dialogue between people with differing opinions?"
ReplyDeletePeople fear both conflict, and being wrong. In today's society people would rather fall silent than risk offending someone. This problem is further exasperated by the popular idea of relativism. Which, as Appiah says "isn't a reason to encourage conversation; it's just a reason to fall silent." (Cosmopolitanism) People aren't becoming more informed because they aren't arguing; they're just spending more time alone with their own opinions, which I would argue is much more harmful than offending someone. I think that knowing the other side of an argument will always ground your side of the argument, and if you don't know them, you're missing a crucial piece of what you think.
If we never speak what we think aloud, and have it contested against what society is thinking then how are we supposed to measure the decency of an idea at all? I think people prefer to live within their idea bubbles, and would rather never speak up about their opinion than be proven wrong.
I'd encourage you to read a work in the area of psychology by Judy Johnson on dogmatism and why some people have brains that are inclined to absolutism and dogmatism. Here is a video of giving a talk on this issue.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmt_I9rnDPU
I really believe that conversation is important. We have to talk about things, we can't turn a blind eye. There is a speech given by Elie Wiesel that I think is really good. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ewieselperilsofindifference.html
ReplyDeleteI watched the speech of Elie Wiesel, I agree that the video was great in creating conversation that might be difficult to take about. Wiesel says that differences are what separate us but we need to find a different approach to demolish differences and create conversation. Wiesel uses his experience at Auschwitz as Jewish prisoner to create the conversation.
DeleteWhat do you believe has caused a lack of conversation between people of different opinions?
ReplyDeleteI think it can hard to talk to or confront people with different opinions because we don't want to hurt feelings or offend anyone. I know I am guilty of avoiding a difficult conversations because I don't want to offend anyone. I know we are all entitled to opinions. The tough part is confronting opinions, that is what Appiah wants us to do, defend our thoughts and start conversations to see if we can find common grounds.
Right, I would agree with your analysis here. We have a culture that values compromise and, as a whole, we all want to get along. I think, at least partly, that we are taught to avoid controversial topics because of our differences. Remember our conventional wisdom to not talk about politics and religion at the dinner table. The issue is not these issues, but the responses in our discussions.
DeleteAs in the quote above you can see that conversation is important to Appiah. How might classes on conversation though our education system help prepare us to communicate with others more effectively?
ReplyDeleteIs it communicating, or is it communicated graciously about difficult topics? If it is the latter, what could college professors do differently? What could happen inside the classroom? What could happen outside the classroom? What experiences would make young people (including college students) more willing to engage respectfully yet sincerely and meaningfully in conversations with others?
Relatedly, especially to our friends who have or do live in other countries, are there practices which help with friendly, meaningful conversation? Does more face-to-face time help? Are we in the U.S. at a disadvantage as we put in more and more time on our phones and computers?
ReplyDeleteHaving lived abroad, albeit for a short time of four months, I have learned that sometimes conversation is all we have. At certain points in time, although language may be an obstacle, conversation is the only way to connect us to others. In China, I was the only American student in an all Chinese school. I was a minority and all I could do was try and communicate with others to find common ground.
DeleteI think technology, though it has given us a lot, is also taking away from meaningful conversations, interactions, and memories in our daily lives.
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ReplyDeleteAlas, (good) conversation is quickly diminishing. Oh - I don't count texting, Skyping, exchanging thoughts via Facebook, Instagram, etc. as conversation. Our social biases make it easy to avoid conflict. We just don't seek out individuals with differing opinions then our own. Instead we seek reinforcement of our existing ideas. No one wants their mind changed or God forbid - find out closely held opinions and ideas are not mainstream and/or perhaps need to be altered. Not just words, but facial expression, tone of voice, inflection in how we say something, etc. all give hints on how a person feels about the subject they are discussing conversationally. These typed words don't help you understand how I feel as much as a face-to-face conversation might. The art of communication is being destroyed by texting, reposting of others thoughts, lack of facial and voice intonation and other factors that make good conversation. Limit yourself to 140 characters and you have done just that - LIMITED YOURSELF.
ReplyDeleteSo what would you have be done in place of technology? Do you feel that this blog has a point, seeing as it is typed? Would you prefer people abandon social media entirely, and if so what is supposed to fill that void? I'm afraid I don't have the resources to visit my parents every time I want to contact them from my dorm. Am I better off not contacting them than destroying the conversation we could be having?
DeleteConversations are something that I tend to claim as important, but am sometimes hesitant to engage in. I avoid conflict naturally and have a habit of making jokes to avoid having to engage in serious conversation. However, I definitely recognize its importance and agree that it can be very valuable even if agreements are not reached. People are hesitant to engage in conversation because they don't want to appear foolish or be proven wrong. I enjoy having conversations that aren't strictly opinion based or which I am very knowledgeable about. It can be hard, but I do believe I can learn positively in conversations that I participate in and have disagreements about.
ReplyDeleteI believe that conversation is very key in every aspect of life. Conversation allows you a chance to air out your opinions on an issue as well as a chance to listen to other people’s views on that particular matter. In conversations, most times, we disagree to agree and therefore people should not ‘fear’ engaging in conversations due to any conflicts that might arise. You learn a lot through conversing with others. For instance, having a dialogue allows people to understand others’ viewpoints, its not a debate-like mode but rather a platform to present one’s views and listen to their perspectives without interruptions whatsoever trying to elucidate whether they are right or wrong. Having constructive conversations is very vital in day-to-day activities and it ensures growth intellectually, socially, and beyond. I love conversing and I therefore encourage you all to engage in conversations, don’t shy off. You never know, maybe your idea or thoughts could help make a difference therefore by sharing them through conversations, you shall have helped make a change in whatever part of the world you are. Lets Converse! Thanks
ReplyDeleteWinter Okoth
Graduate Student – Johns Hopkins University
Thomas More College ’12 Alumni