Here?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a problem I have with Political Debates.

[CoffeeDude]

Here's part of an article I found at the website dickstaub.com, I found it enlightening.

"It is easier to demonize someone if you don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t actually meet and converse with them. A few years ago Deborah Tannen wrote ?¢‚Ǩ?ìThe Argument Culture?¢‚Ǩ? in which she documented the loss of civility, reason and intent of American debate, attributable largely to the electronic media. We no longer seek dialogue towards a more reasonable conclusion; we argue from extremes, posturing & exaggerating instead of seeking the best resolution to a societal problem. Constructive dialogue requires good will, willingness to compromise, and the belief that there is a good and true outcome to be achieved. It also grows out of relationship.

Whether the environment or any other issue, better solutions will emerge when people of good will meet, converse, and then encumbered only by the desire for the good, the true and the beautiful, reach the best available conclusion.

The institutional inability to operate in this manner, exemplified by government and the media, is symptomatic of the erosion of individual skills and will. Unless something changes radically we may reach the place where ?¢‚Ǩ?ìall the king?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s horses and all the king?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s men, can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t put civilization together again.?¢‚Ǩ? That evangelicals and other religious factions are part of the problem serves only to hasten the shattering of this union."

 

[The_Edge]

Originally posted by CoffeeDude
Whether the environment or any other issue, better solutions will emerge when people of good will meet, converse, and then encumbered only by the desire for the good, the true and the beautiful, reach the best available conclusion.

Awwww, that is so cuddly-wuddly sweet.

Originally posted by CoffeeDude
That evangelicals and other religious factions are part of the problem serves only to hasten the shattering of this union."

Didn't the author just say that contemporary debates end up arguing from, "...extremes, posturing & exaggerating instead of seeking the best resolution to a societal problem." Pot to Kettle, "You are black."

 

[CoffeeDude]

Originally posted by CoffeeDude
... and then encumbered only by the desire for the good, the true and the beautiful, reach the best available conclusion.

Originally posted by The_Edge
Awwww, that is so cuddly-wuddly sweet. http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0304/wuerg/vomit-smiley-007.gif[/img[/b][/quote]
I wasn't too jazzed about the writing style of this phrase either, but what do you think of the intent behind the words?
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by CoffeeDude [/i]
[B]That evangelicals and other religious factions are part of the problem serves only to hasten the shattering of this union." [/B][/QUOTE] [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by The_Edge [/i]
[B]Didn't the author just say that contemporary debates end up arguing from, "...extremes, posturing & exaggerating instead of seeking the best resolution to a societal problem." :rolleyes: Pot to Kettle, "You are black." [/B][/QUOTE] Since the author is an evangelical Christian, he is pointing toward himself and saying I am part of the problem (In prior sentence he qualifies the generalization of Evangelicals "The institutional inability to operate in this manner, exemplified by government and the media, is symptomatic of the erosion of individual skills and will.") As long as the majority of Evangelicals sit on their back sides (I've been invovled in Christian leadership for almost a decade, and know that most do. They wait to have their needs met instead of working to meet the needs of others.). If they [a generalization] are not working toward a solution they are, by default, part of the problem.

 

[The_Edge]

Originally posted by CoffeeDude
I wasn't too jazzed about the writing style of this phrase either, but what do you think of the intent behind the words?

Well, I'll tell ya. I think it is a bunch of happy, hippie horse $#it. It sounds wonderfully utopian but that just isn't human nature. What is good, true and beautiful? That kind of thinking gets us brilliant ideas such as socialized medicine, gun registration and/or removal, the wellfare state, diplomatic negotiations with terrorists hell bent on murder, Carrabou mating rituals instead of moving towards energy independence, global warming mythology, the NEA, the ACLU, state certified sex education and the list goes on.

Constructive dialogue should be geared towards individual achievment and freedom to persue individual ideas of what is good, true and beautiful. Once again this can all be subjective and quickly become anarchy if it is not tempered with common sense and an understanding of human nature. Like, say, the Constitution of the United States of America. An amazing document that is all too often ignored or perverted in modern America.

Originally posted by CoffeeDude
If they [a generalization] are not working toward a solution they are, by default, part of the problem.

That makes better sense to me. I agree with that. Thanks.