Debated Topics in Science
Let go of winning: Approaching a conversation like a zero-sum battle, where one side wins and the other loses, sets up an adversarial dynamic that will typically lead others to put up their defenses. This dynamic minimizes the possibility of learning and often damages relationships. Instead, approach conversations with curiosity and the goal to understand.
Ask questions to understand: Not all questions are created equal. Questions that are laced with judgment or are meant to trap someone can quickly undermine dialogue. But questions that invite someone to share something meaningful, reflect genuine curiosity, or seek out the nuances of someone else’s perspective can create possibilities to connect and lead to meaningful responses.
Share your story and invite others to do the same: Stories move people emotionally. They offer context to facts and figures. And they can allow people to convey their own views without telling someone else their view is wrong. Stories can be a powerful tool to replace frustrating disagreements with constructive ones because they help people move past what they believe to why they believe it.
Make yourself and others feel heard: If tensions rise during difficult conversations, it’s important for people to address what they’re experiencing and make room for others to do the same. People may need to explain how they’re feeling or why they’re reacting in a certain way—including acknowledging mistakes they may have made.
Find what’s shared: The commonalities we find with each other—experiences, beliefs, values, hobbies, identities—can be the glue that holds a conversation together through conflict. Finding what’s shared is about purposefully seeking out those similarities and using them to move forward together, even in the middle of a disagreement.
So,
To be perfectly honest, in my humble opinion and without offending anyone who thinks differently from my point of view, but also, by looking into this matter in a different perspective and without being condemning of one's views and by trying to make it objective, and also considering each and everyone's valid opinion, I truly believe I forgot what I wanted to say
:thinking:
