We Live in a Society

Episode 04 (notes)

Culturally, the spirit of social discourse is becoming strained and unproductive. But without civil discourse — there is no civil society. If we can’t bridge the gaps of understanding between individuals, the seams of democracy will unravel around us. What we’ve forgotten is that civil discourse is a reciprocal process. It’s not only about being heard, it’s also about listening. Living in a diverse society requires us to step outside of our experience and into that of another. If more of us genuinely practiced this, perhaps we could pull ourselves back from the edge of the cliff we’re dancing on. To do this, we might employ a philosophical position called the veil of ignorance (aka the original position). A theory by John Rawls, which invites us into a mindset that mitigates selfish thinking and opens our hearts to the experiences of others.

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