Avoiding Toxicity in Politics
My sister plans on opening a new platform this Summer. A new podcast that’s inspired by The Empathy Tent, which is something of an obscure project where the titular tent is set up at political rallies and people from either side are invited to have a civil, productive discussion on politics. Only what my sister is going to be doing will be on a somewhat larger scale and will be featured as a livestream. Even though my sister is largely indifferent about politics, the reason for her doing this is because the political climate is just terrible and people from the left and right don’t have the best reputation these days. But there are people out there who are rational and mature enough to be civil even with someone they don’t see eye-to-eye with and this platform will be to demonstrate that there can still be civility from both sides. Anyone was going to be invited to partake and a lot of people are expected to join, eager to get their voices out there.
I think that’s a very noble idea and I look forward to seeing it happen. [b]But[/b] I told her straight up that accepting just anybody is a really bad idea. Let’s face it, there are individuals out there who just so toxic and religious with their politics that having a civil discussion with them is simply not an option. There are going to be people who want to participate with absolutely no interest in hearing out the opposing side’s views and will only be joining to entertain their little echo chambers. I told my sister something needs to be done to filter those individuals out because she knows damn well that there are going to be many of them who will only make a mockery of her stream that’s intended to be about showing civility.
While my sister hates to not be inclusive of anyone and everyone who wants to join, she admitted that I have a point. But she also said there’s not exactly a screening to measure political toxicity. But maybe we could make one. Have it so anyone who wants to partake must fill out and submit a form first - an application, if you will. It will be a series of questions to test how toxic one is (for lack of a better way to say it. I’m sure my sister will come up with something nicer) based on their answers. They will be told that the reason for it is they’ve been having a lot of people who want to participate so a process was needed to determine who gets chosen to do so - that there are no wrong answers and they just want [i]their[/i] answer.
She hasn’t decided what exactly these questions will be, but whatever they will be, they ought to filter what positive traits she’ll be looking for and what negative traits that will not be accepted. She even came up with a list of five traits from both that I think sums it up...
[c=359E00][b][u]Rational traits[/u][/b]
-Sense of humor
-Thick skin
-Open-minded/curious
-Responsible/work ethic
-Facts over feelings[/c]
[c=BF0000][b][u]Toxic traits[/u][/b]
-Too serious
-Sensitive
-Close-minded/know-it-all
-Victim mentality
-Feelings over facts[/c]
This isn’t going to be a fool-proof test. I’m sure there are going to be those who slip through, but it’s better than just letting anyone join. My sister said if need be, she will serve as a moderator but she’s hoping that won’t be necessary. After all, the platform is for people to discuss, not to argue or debate. She says if anyone cannot be civil, they will be asked to leave. But I think this test ought to serve well when the time comes and this new stream she’s going to be doing will benefit greatly from it.
I don’t really discuss politics anymore, but I can say those negative traits are things I’ve always tended to avoid myself. If one can’t be a rational, mature and [u]civil[/u], why bother conversing with them? No sense in trying to reason with those who cannot be reasoned with. I see a lot of people who try to be civil when talking about politics, but waste so much time on those who can’t be. I understand wanting to try, but I think more people should realize when it just isn’t possible.
Anyway, feel free to share your thoughts on this matter in the comments below.
Thanks for reading!
I think that’s a very noble idea and I look forward to seeing it happen. [b]But[/b] I told her straight up that accepting just anybody is a really bad idea. Let’s face it, there are individuals out there who just so toxic and religious with their politics that having a civil discussion with them is simply not an option. There are going to be people who want to participate with absolutely no interest in hearing out the opposing side’s views and will only be joining to entertain their little echo chambers. I told my sister something needs to be done to filter those individuals out because she knows damn well that there are going to be many of them who will only make a mockery of her stream that’s intended to be about showing civility.
While my sister hates to not be inclusive of anyone and everyone who wants to join, she admitted that I have a point. But she also said there’s not exactly a screening to measure political toxicity. But maybe we could make one. Have it so anyone who wants to partake must fill out and submit a form first - an application, if you will. It will be a series of questions to test how toxic one is (for lack of a better way to say it. I’m sure my sister will come up with something nicer) based on their answers. They will be told that the reason for it is they’ve been having a lot of people who want to participate so a process was needed to determine who gets chosen to do so - that there are no wrong answers and they just want [i]their[/i] answer.
She hasn’t decided what exactly these questions will be, but whatever they will be, they ought to filter what positive traits she’ll be looking for and what negative traits that will not be accepted. She even came up with a list of five traits from both that I think sums it up...
[c=359E00][b][u]Rational traits[/u][/b]
-Sense of humor
-Thick skin
-Open-minded/curious
-Responsible/work ethic
-Facts over feelings[/c]
[c=BF0000][b][u]Toxic traits[/u][/b]
-Too serious
-Sensitive
-Close-minded/know-it-all
-Victim mentality
-Feelings over facts[/c]
This isn’t going to be a fool-proof test. I’m sure there are going to be those who slip through, but it’s better than just letting anyone join. My sister said if need be, she will serve as a moderator but she’s hoping that won’t be necessary. After all, the platform is for people to discuss, not to argue or debate. She says if anyone cannot be civil, they will be asked to leave. But I think this test ought to serve well when the time comes and this new stream she’s going to be doing will benefit greatly from it.
I don’t really discuss politics anymore, but I can say those negative traits are things I’ve always tended to avoid myself. If one can’t be a rational, mature and [u]civil[/u], why bother conversing with them? No sense in trying to reason with those who cannot be reasoned with. I see a lot of people who try to be civil when talking about politics, but waste so much time on those who can’t be. I understand wanting to try, but I think more people should realize when it just isn’t possible.
Anyway, feel free to share your thoughts on this matter in the comments below.
Thanks for reading!
