What a lively, interesting and thought-provoking post, @generikat. Really enjoyed reading this and hearing your perspective. So many great thoughts here, but I think my favorite is:
I’m a big believer in the concept of debate not hate.
I’ve not heard that, and I’m instantly in love. The vitriol of recent years has made me turn inward more than ever before because of the increasing tendency of our society to propel itself right past the discourse phase to fighting and name calling. As if any argument in the history of the world was ever won with slander!
If we can get back to civil discourse and to the point where conversations are as much about finding common ground as they are about labeling and one-upping, we have a shot at living in a world where it feels safe to have opinions again.
Good evening @jayna:) I hear you on the turning inward thing. I'm definitely one to keep things on the light and whimsical side a lot of the time, as I don't dig our society's propensity for vitriol either, but I so, so love learning and debating things, just not with a side of hate sauce.
I have a ton of hope that we can, especially if we all talk about it a bunch, reasoning through the morass with logic and empathy.:) Thank you so much for stopping by and diving into the conversation!
I have hope as well. May it come to pass!