When disagreements make their way to social media, we often see both sides trying their best to shut the other down. They use superficial memes, Ad hominem arguments, and bad faith questions to stifle dissent and conversation.
Unlike a proper debate, neither party takes the time to listen, acknowledge and respond – entrenching both sides even further in their opinion.
Suppose we reasonably assume that any change of position results from multiple conversations where both parties can debate an issue safely.
In that case, the goal of a disagreement is less about winning or losing – but rather about ensuring that the other side is interested enough to come back to the table to continue the discussion.
Imagine the possible progress if we forgot about our need to win “right now” and focused on healthier debate and conversation.