Steven Collis Guest-Blogging About "Habits of a Peacemaker: 10 Habits to Change Our Potentially Toxic Conversations into Healthy Dialogues

I'm delighted to report that Prof. Steven Collis (Texas) will be guest-blogging this week about his new book. From the publisher's summary:

Learn the practical skills that can help you build bridges, heal relationships, and engage in productive conversation about even the hardest topics.

Most people have experienced the slippery slope of dialogue that descends into polarized argument. We yell at each other. We gaslight. We twist one another's words and meanings. We embrace facts that support our conclusions and ignore those that don't. Or we sit in silence, afraid to discuss anything of substance. If how you treat others matters to you, this book offers powerful new habits that can give you the confidence to engage in dialogue about hard topics while building and strengthening relationships.

Imagine turning what could be a contentious conversation with a family member, a friend, or a coworker into a fruitful exchange that enlightens everyone's minds and inches both of you toward a solution. Steven T. Collis, one of the world's leading experts on civil discourse, reveals ten practical habits that can help you navigate the potential minefields of hard topics and leave you and those you converse with feeling thoughtful and productive.

Whether you're motivated by a desire for more fruitful discussions about politics or simply bringing more peace to your home, Habits of a Peacemaker offers you the tools to engage in constructive and healthy dialogue.

And the blurbs:

"I have spent most of my career fighting for and educating about the freedom of speech…. That, in turn, requires developing attitudes and skills that enable us to discuss the most divisive topics constructively. Collis's enlightening and inspiring book serves as an essential guide toward these goals. Habits of a Peacemaker enables all of us to maximize the positive potential of our speech freedom, to the benefit of not only ourselves, but also our pluralistic democracy." —Nadine Strossen, Former National President of the American Civil LIberties Union; Senior Fellow, FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression); author, Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know.

"Do you ever give up hope that Americans can disagree without being disagreeable? Then read Habits of a Peace Maker and have your faith restored. With engaging examples and solid science, Steven T. Collis sets out everyday practices that equip each of us to resist the outrage merchants and make America civil again. I put down his book with new insights into how to be a better citizen—and a better friend and listener, too." —Jonathan Rauch, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution, and author of The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth.

"Steven T. Collis is a much-needed voice in our divided society. This is a vital read for anyone who wants to develop the habits that will allow them to talk about difficult topics productively. From the echo chambers modern technology has created, we often seem more divided than we truly are, and the habits Collis recommends will help us recognize that and build bridges with the people who matter most in our lives. An urgent and thought-provoking read to help us heal our hearts and our discourse." —Judge Thomas B. Griffith (ret.), United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit; Senate Legal Counsel; Lecturer, Harvard Law School.

"Collis's distinctive contribution touches at the heart of what we all must relearn in our polarized age. Foreign governments have set as their goal the polarization of the United States. Teams of foreign actors work every day to use technology to pit us against one another. In this straightforward and practical book, Collis has given us the antidote. The habits it offers, with both humor and compassion, can help each of us do our part to heal this broken world." —Nury Turkel, Commissioner and Former Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; award-winning author of No Escape: The True Story of China's Genocide of the Uyghurs.

I'm much looking forward to Prof. Collis's posts.

Comments

[Krayt]

It could start wiith one guy not being toxic and deliberately calling out not just opposition, but nominally everyone who disagrees with him, even former supporters. CNN didn’t use to be the anti-Fox News, focused 100% contrarianism in politics. Hopefully once “the anomaly” retires for good, it will return to that. I was hoping for 2024, but it looks to be 2028 now.

[Krychek_2]

This assumes there are reasonable people on both sides who want to compromise. I think the majority, maybe event the large majority, of Americans are reasonable people who are willing to compromise. The problem is that the two parties have been taken over by people for whom the only acceptable outcome is for the other side to be dead, and would sooner kill themselves than reach across the aisle. I think Democrats have shown themselves somewhat more willing to work with Republicans than the other way around although I also acknowledge that may be confirmation bias on my part.

This morning Trump is now threatening to jail election workers. In a more sane, rational era that would have been sufficient for him to lose the election all by itself.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

If election workers commit fraud, why should they not be jailed?

[Krychek_2]

If morons such as yourself believe a pathological liar like Trump when he says election workers commit fraud, I can't help it.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

If morons such as yourself can't read what they're ostensibly replying to, you can't even help yourself.

See if you can answer the actual question, which I will expand so you have less excuse for pretending you didn't see it. If election workers violate election laws which include jail time as punishment, why shouldn't they be jailed?

[Krychek_2]

Oh, I got it the first time. If pigs fly, can they go to the moon?

See, there's no evidence of any actual election fraud. Trump just wants his base to think there was. So it's positing something that never happened, knowing that stupid people will believe that it did.

So yes, hypothetically, if an election worker were to commit fraud, he should go to jail. There are already laws that provide for that. Get back to us when it actually happens.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

You're the one so caught up in TDS. It's got you by the short hairs. You jumped to the conclusion I support Trump. Don't blame me for your disease.

And FYI, there have been several reports recently of Democrat politicians and cities prosecuting election fraud, even some for the 2020 election. It may not be much, it may be a false flag operation, who knows. But "no evidence" is wrong. You wanted me to get back to you -- I won't insult your intelligence by providing links you wouldn't trust when if you actually cared, you'd already have seen them and could easily search for them.

[Krychek_2]

TDS is a cheap way to immunize Trump from criticism. Whenever anyone criticizes Trump, your side just says "Oh, that's just TDS" as if that answered the criticism.

Sorry, I assumed you would understand "no evidence" to mean "no credible evidence." There is evidence of UFO aliens having sex with Hollywood celebrities -- just check any supermarket tabloid -- but that's not the kind of evidence I had in mind. And that's the same quality of evidence Trump has offered for election fraud. If you want to believe him, it's your business.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

You're the one who hopped on the Trump angle, and that's the TDS hook; you invoked it, not me.

As for credible evidence, these articles were in the NYT and WaPo and other lefty rags, concerning Democrat accusations of fraud. How much more credible do you want it?

[Krychek_2]

If they’re lefty rags then obviously you don’t find them credible. So why should I believe the lefty rags if you don’t?

[Stupid Government Tricks]

That's a new one. If I'm a Trumpy, you can't trust anything I post, even if it's a link to a lefty rag. I guess you think Trumpies are so all-fired powerful they can change the electrons controlling your screen.

And you can only believe a left rag if I believe it? I can't figure out what you're actually trying to say.

Is that what passes for lefty logic in your mind? Is that anti-racist or something?

[Krychek_2]

No, it's surprise that you're citing (or would be citing if you actually posted citations) to sources that you yourself would claim not to be credible in any other context. It would be like me invoking something Trump says as evidence that it's true.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

I didn't post citations because I knew you wouldn't trust anything I posted. That you don't even want to do your own search, that you apparently think I could somehow taint your search results on your computer, was never on my bingo card.

You win the internet today.

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Something is missing ...

Most people have experienced the slippery slope of dialogue that descends into polarized argument. We yell at each other. We gaslight. We twist one another's words and meanings. We embrace facts that support our conclusions and ignore those that don't.

... oh yeah, what do you do when the government, that all-seeing, all-knowing, benevolent, wise collection of burrocratic thugs, tells businesses to cancel accounts and delete posts?

[JoeFromtheBronx]

See also, "Good Arguments: How Debate Teaches Us to Listen and Be Heard" by Bo Seo

https://booksinaflash.com/book-summary-good-arguments-how-debate-teaches-us-to-listen-and-be-heard/