Freshly Squeezed Opinions on Political Decorum

Being in attendance to the Freshly Squeezed with Colin McEnroe: True or False--a conversation about political decorum and civil political discourse, I gave much to think and remember as a person in this current climate of politics and world. Throughout the night, I found the guests interesting and engaging; I liked and found the event worth attending.

There is much I agreed with that the people mentioned. I found the importance on empathy, sympathy, humanization, connections, assertiveness, collaboration, knowledge, and respect helpful so to learn how others have important conversations with others who may differing opinions. I found many of the metaphors and analogies helpful in the current world; the metaphors include the oxygen mask which is like on airplane to help yourself before helping others, viewing the world as a thanksgiving meal table with some people you know and are constantly with and helping while others are not and you do not sets them up, four horsemen of relationship apocalypse (contempt, disrespect, criticism, and stonewalling) that relates different categories of behavior that stops/stalls important conversation, and many more.

I find the stories which Colin told impacting and funny; this includes the angry buddhist and the two opposite sided friends having drinks with Colin just wanting a Manhattan. With those stories and overall, the phrase of “everyone’s human” was brought up just like Simon Hart said during his time in class with us. It is important to see all as human as we are. The use of duality and sides with winners and losers, democrats and republicans, and us versus them was cleverly used to discuss why it is important to respect people that one may not see eye to eye with. This includes the topic of offensive language and how to skirt around it like snowflake and kumabiya; it includes how to address each side (including the one you’re on) with the same amount of civility.

It is important as they mentioned to not shift blame as “I’m okay, they’re the problem” to the “other side” causing more bickering and issues. The overarching idea was to go beyond the face or first hand value like the “I want the house” example and go for why, reasons to discuss, and common ground.