Toxic Talk—Jan. 15, 2010

This fall, I clearly saw the ripple effect of pollution.  There was symbolic pollution, as town hall meetings were filled with a toxic mix of angry confrontation and political theater. There was personal pollution as I spent more than a month discarding the detritus accumulated during thirty-two years in our house—canceled checks from banks that have been defunct for twenty years, painted rocks lugged home from summer camp, the ashes of a beloved dog finally released into his special spot.

At the Public Conversations Project, we often talk about the ripple effects of our good work.  But the above examples have made me acutely aware of the ripple effects of toxicity.  Be it speech or personal trash, what we dump impacts others. 

The "in your face" political confrontations that disrupted many 2009 town hall meetings grew out of the "in your face" approach that members of my generation applauded in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s.  While the issues have changed, the tactics are the same. But what does this speech do to the atmosphere?

Our family was never especially acquisitive. But, the stuff we accumulated during thirty-two years and then discarded all went someplace, even if I personally don’t have to look at it anymore.

The upside is that our world is becoming aware of the dangers of pollution and working to clean them up. Congress is back in session, crafting a compromise that will be responsive to the needs of the country; my family is focusing on recycling, donating, and reusing as much as we can. 

One of the things I value about the Public Conversations Project is the longevity of our work.  It’s not uncommon for us to get feedback two, five, or even ten years after someone has taken a workshop.  Calls come from people who heard about us from a friend of a friend of a friend.  But counter to this is the longevity of pain: statements that hurt deeply, long-lived stereotypes, being misunderstood.

Just as environmental advocates are fighting to make people aware of the impact of pollution on our planet, our work is about raising the awareness of the dangers of toxic language and showing people the way to healthier toxin-free communications.

Cherry Muse

President
Public Conversations Project

January 15, 2010