Some people object to getting involved in civil discussions for the simple reason that they can’t be bothered. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve heard this sort of speech:
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I agree with what Winston Churchill said about democracy: It’s the best form of government, but only because all of the alternatives are worse. There’s nothing very noble or uplifting about it. I’m glad someone chooses to get involved because someone’s got to take care of the messy job of governing. Someone has to make sure that the garbage gets collected, and that the police get paid. As for me, I’ve got better things to do. I play sports, and I like music. I also do volunteer work. I imagine a lot of other people have their own private pursuits and hobbies that they think are important. In any case, isn’t improving oneself—however you decide to do that—the most important thing you can do? Politics only seems to get in the way.
I would be the last to argue that self-improvement isn’t valuable. I’ve spent close to 30 years trying to encourage it in various educational settings. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned as an educator, it’s that discussion with peers can be a great way to learn about all kinds of things—provided, of course, that the discussion is well organized. Can civil discussion meet that standard? At Interactivity Foundation we have compiled close to 1,000 responses from past discussion participants that say “yes.” Most have said “a great deal.” Why? Perhaps because even the smartest among them—the ones with most to “teach” and least to “learn”—grasp the truth of the old saying, “To teach is to learn twice.”
*Adapted from Adolf G. Gundersen and Suzanne Goodney Lea, Let’s Talk Politics: Restoring Civility Through Exploratory Discussion, Chapter 3.
