SE Arizona News

Cochise College issued the following announcement on Mar. 2.

When Cochise College revised its mission, vision and values last summer, the concepts of community engagement and social responsibility emerged as new priorities. As an institution of higher education that provides meaningful careers and lifelong learning, we play a leadership role in raising awareness of social issues and providing a forum for the exchange of ideas.

That’s how “Conversations in Civility” was born. Civil discourse is a vitally important skill and the foundation on which our country was built. But how can we ensure civility prevails as a societal moral standard during an era of digital insults and political division?

Recently, the Cochise College Library and the Civic Engagement Committee hosted the first in a three-part series on this topic. Panel discussions featuring local public figures took place at the Douglas and Sierra Vista campuses. Members of the public attended to learn how we can collectively strive to respect differing points of view.

As individuals in the public eye, panelists had all encountered disagreement, sometimes in a way amplified by easy access to and sharing of information. They described their experiences and perspectives in response to a number of questions. Why is civil discourse on the Internet so challenging? When people disagree, what are some phrases you’ve used to bridge the gap when trying to find common ground? Give an example of what to do or not do when someone is disrespectful? How do you create a welcoming environment for your differing opinions when you expect you may have an encounter with someone? How do you use silence? How do you avoid interrupting and what do you do when interrupted? How do you feel/what do you do when someone is whispering while you’re talking? What do you do when people say they are listening but they’re really just waiting for you to be done talking so they can talk?

Some valuable points made and tips shared included:

• It’s worthwhile to be conscious that when speaking to someone in person, you might choose your words more carefully, whereas communicating at the distance permitted by the Internet requires more management of emotion and thoughtfulness. Even then, communication can be misinterpreted.
• Some subjects don’t require a response, particularly if another person’s opinion doesn’t directly impact you.
• Restating the purpose of a discussion can take it back to its original intent.
• Stepping back or using humor aimed at oneself can help prevent negativity from escalating.
• It’s OK to acknowledge the passion a person feels about her or his position.
• It’s also OK to point out when someone is disrespectful, perhaps personally, after the fact and not in front of others.
• If you want to solve problems, listen to understand.
• The more you interact with people, the more tools you have to deal with all kinds.
• When someone interrupts, language like “I don’t know if I’m coming across the right way. Can you repeat what I said?” can help. If the person can’t repeat what was said, you have the opportunity to say, “Let me try it again.”
• “The ax forgets; the tree remembers.”

The next two sessions of “Conversations in Civility” take place in March and April. They are free and open to the public. Dates, times, locations and Zoom information can be found at https://www.cochise.edu/events/.

The March discussion “Great Dialogues” will revolve around the book “The Magic of Dialogue: Transforming Conflict Into Cooperation” by Daniel Yankelovich. Participants will learn the tools to create dialogues instead of debates. Using case studies and real world experiences, this session will give participants information about overcoming misunderstanding and resolving issues.

The series will cover “How to Spot Media Bias” in April. Free copies of the book “Hate Inc.” by Matt Taibbi are available to those who sign up by March 25 at tinyurl.com/54r7h972. 

How we talk matters. It impacts how we live, work, and play together, and those things aren’t going away. Concepts like mindfulness and respect can help make the ideas of compromise, mediation, bipartisanship and negotiation positives instead of negatives. Too often, negative, rancorous and untruthful discourse weighs our society down. “Conversations in Civility” will get you thinking about this issue and how you can be part of the solution. 

Original source can be found here.