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| Questions for those who have not yet read
"Talking with the Enemy" 1. Now that is clear who will be president for the next four years, what do you most want people who voted for another candidate to understand about what the outcome of this election means to you personally? What do you most want to understand about people who voted differently than you? 2. Are there ways that your values and perspectives have been painfully stereotyped by the "other side," particularly during this most recent campaign? If so, what is it about who you are and what you care about that makes those stereotypes especially painful or enraging? 3. Did you avoid discussing the 2004 election with a family member or friend? Why? What were you afraid would happen? What may have been lost as a result? What was gained? What steps would you need to take in order to enter another political conversation with this person more hopefully than fearfully? 4. Can you think of a time when you had a constructive conversation about a political or social issue with someone who thinks very differently than you? What made it possible for the conversation to be a positive one? 5. If you could have a conversation with anyone who has a different political viewpoint from yours, whom would you choose? What would you like to learn about that person? What would you want that person to understand about you? What would it take - from you, from the other person, from the setting of conversation - for the conversation to be constructive? 6. What questions are likely to stimulate constructive "red/blue" conversations that would be of interest to you? 7. In what ways, if any, do you think polarizing conduct in the political arena hurts or helps the democratic process in the US? 8. In what ways do (or don't) your habits of talking to or about those who have radically different views from yours match your wishes about how they would engage you and your views? 9. Have you ever been in a situation where a shared understanding of necessity allowed you to work with people with whom you strongly disagreed on other important matters? What did your shared sense of necessity allow you to do? 10. What are your major fears about what lies ahead? What gives you most hope? 11. If you were to overhear political opponents talking animatedly about the "common ground" for America, what do you hope they would be discussing? What "common ground" do you think representatives of the political parties could "occupy together" to our collective benefit? 12. If a "Let's Heal America" movement were to gather momentum, what ingredients might make it effective? Under what circumstances might you want to include yourself in such a movement? Where might you start? What life experiences would you draw on? What support would you want from those who share your views? From those who voted for a different candidate for president? Download these questions as a pdf.
Explore the full Christian Science Monitor series, along with questions to inspire constructive conversation and personal reflection. View all questions. Do you have a story to tell about a breakthrough you've had in a politically polarized situation? The Christian Science Monitor is interested in your ideas, as an opinion essay or as simple feedback, which can be sent to its "Talking With the Enemy" series at talking@csps.com. If you have feedback on PCP's questions or other resources, please let us know! Simply email info@publicconversations.org. |
Public Conversations Project | info@publicconversations.org
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