Salvaging Public Discourse

As a people we have much to celebrate. Ingenuity. Inventiveness. Heart. Compassion. Intelligence. Willingness. Intentionality. In short we have the ability to care and do care.

This leads us to many places and in many directions.

Countering these impulses of good we share the stage with impulses of bad. Good and bad. Minimalist words for complicated concepts.

We know life is not simple and thus should not let simple terms hide larger dimensions of a concept. We could miss something important. But for now we have to deal with polar opposites as we build a basis to discuss major issues.

The human mind seeks understanding of its human condition. We feel comfortable knowing where we stand, why it is, how it works. We are uneasy when questions lurk or confusion exists. A blank needs filling. Reason requires us to do so.

All the more compelling when questions outnumber answers. Frustration grows alarmingly. Tension births insecurity. Something must be done!

To the public square come these conflicting emotions and yearnings. No wonder we struggle to be heard, to be understood, to be accepted and comforted. It is natural.

As is the chaos of the discourse which follows. Rambling. Heated. Abrupt. Demanding. Recriminating. Blaming. Reacting.

Time heals all hurts? Yes, but time is not always apparent to the participants. They need so much more than time permits. Hurt prevails for a time until the voices quiet, minds subside to calm modes and the thinking process begins to right itself; it seeks balance.

Another day, another confrontation and the discourse continues, this time with a little more balance. And in ensuing days and weeks or months this process wears down the arguments until a point of equilibrium is attained. Is a consensus emerging? Can these disparate minds begin to see a shared point of understanding? Maybe. Until the next crop of thinkers enters the fray. Discourse begins anew with jumbled meanings and need to find fresh consensus.

Exhausting? Yes but needed work. This is how we come to agree on things. Not always an agreement that is strong; rather it is tentative but a basis to work together towards other shared objectives. This is a good definition of consensus.

Not everyone is up to this work. Academicians usually are. Negotiators are. So are foreign affairs professionals/diplomats.

Politicians are in for the fight, perhaps, but rarely for the compromise, the consensus building. They are in it for another purpose: power. At least that is the prevailing view these days. Too bad. Consensus is a valuable tool for solving shared problems. If we are to get along and accomplish our business, we must be able to reach consensus.

We already know that modern politicians have been pulled far from the roots of their profession. They are not the compromisers of ages past. They are not the problem solvers the electorate calls them to be. Needs them to be.

How can we get past this huge impediment? Here are some ideas to ponder:

• Ask our media to participate in public discussion; clarify positions; clarify who are the participants; identify motivations where important, vital
• Ask our elected officials to offer constructive input to all discussions; be participants in our discourse so we know they are making an effort to understand the issues and importance of these issues; their credibility needs shoring up, not ours!
• Speak up for our own point of view
• Temper our views with sensitivity and civility
• Listen carefully to other points of view
• Discern the core of different points of view; what is common among them?
• Do we agree on what needs to be fixed? Are you sure about that?
• Focus energy on what can be accomplished realistically for now
• Seek to identify long-term objectives; what can we do about them at this time?
• Resolve to keep all of the above in plain sight!

These behavior patterns performed often and on a continuing basis may well produce some desirable effects. It will take effort and patience. We need to do this for ourselves and those we expect to take on the responsibility of our common interests.

But are we up to the task? Are we too distracted? By what? Is that an excuse to avoid what we need to be doing? We can’t expect others to do this if we aren’t ready.

Self interest is a powerful force. It is often misused. Can we focus that force on a larger need that serves us all?

November 4, 2011