In a world as polarized as it is today, members of opposite political parties tend to radically approach debates with a competitive mindset. Individuals often focus on defending their personal beliefs in these political debates. In reality, listening with intention is more beneficial in conversations. Debate culture should be about preserving empathy and reaching a mutual understanding, especially in sociopolitical issues.
A study done in 2021 by the National Academy of Sciences suggested that the tone used to communicate determines the outcome of the conversation. A collaborative mindset will allow more free will for participants to share their thoughts openly, setting the conversation up for success. In comparison, aggressive approaches often result in individuals feeling attacked and less motivated to reach a potential solution.
According to a Pew Research study in 2019, 6 in 10 Democrats claim they find political conversations with opposite party members stressful and frustrating, up from 53%. The verbal hostility is readily present between political parties. It causes rejoinders made in arguments to be taken as offensive hits to the ego rather than feedback to accept in a positive manner. In order to produce productive results, members should listen with intention to reach a compromise.
The $1.2 trillion 2021 Senate Infrastructure deal is an example of bridging partisan divide with mutual understanding. During the legislative process, Democrats and Republicans initially disagreed over social spending and tax concerns. A group of ten senators, five from each party, repositioned the bill’s focus with select concerns from both parties: physical infrastructure — such as roads, highways and ports — from Republicans and climate change initiatives from Democrats. It passed with a larger range of bipartisan “yes” votes than normal. The lawmakers moved away from disregarding each other’s views and stopped trying to prove one’s point was superior. Instead, members from both parties highlighted areas which would benefit all of them. Compromise is what debate culture should be about.
By listening with empathy and intention, rather than political animosity, understanding develops. The members choosing an open perspective, hearing and taking both concerns into consideration, set up a positive atmosphere for discussion, and the voting results reflected their flexibility.
“This is what it looks like when elected leaders take a step toward healing our country’s divisions rather than feeding those very divisions,” Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) said after the vote.
Approaching a conversation in which mutual respect and acceptance of one another’s concerns successfully leads to healthy contradictions where common ground is also acknowledged. During the 2020 Utah gubernatorial election, opposing party candidates Democrat Chris Peterson and Republican Spencer Cox partnered to produce a joint video. In the video, the candidates exchange phrases of acceptance and understanding, such as “shared identities” and “friendships that unite instead of divide,” further influencing a positive impact on citizens and a decrease in political animosity.
Collaborating and expressing empathy to reach a mutual understanding is essential in a debate atmosphere. This is not to state that all debate settings must be reworked, but rather a sign to reconsider the way we approach conversations and all parts of life – with an open mind and empathy.
