You all crushed our Political Distortions Learn-a-thon, hitting 596.5 hours. Shout out to that last half hour!
Here, Lucy, Matt and Julie share what they learned.
Lucy
My husband Matt and I watched several videos and attended two workshops. We both vote “blue,” and in the videos, we saw that people on the “other” side share many of our convictions. Even if we may disagree on how to address certain goals or problems, we need to remember the humanity and dignity of people with differing opinions and politics. We gradually learned that Braver Angels isn’t there to make us water down our own convictions and our ability to speak out for them. The aim is to learn to have respectful conversations that build understanding rather than disdain.
We are still thinking about how to take what we have learned and use it in real life situations that aren’t mediated. In real life conversations, some people get super loud without allowing space for a back and forth conversation. But we can remember tools such as asking to share some thoughts or asking a person what lived experiences have influenced their ideas. We also both struggle with the question of whether we’re trying to understand or trying to persuade, because at times, there are issues we want to persuade people on if we discuss them!
These tools help us be more thoughtful and conscious of what we’re doing and why. We still plan to listen to the podcasts, watch more of the videos, and begin reading some of the books, even now that the Learn-a-Thon has ended. I have also joined Braver Angels.
Matt
Watching the videos, I was surprised at how everyone got along in the beginning even though they were on opposite sides of politics, and as they talked, they developed a better understanding of each other. I liked the overall aim to have conversation, to really listen to each other, to try to get people to understand each other, and then to do your best to figure out what’s right, and create compromise when needed.
During this series, the MuseCast has helped me think about how judging others is more like judging yourself and also how we relate to the Kingdom of God vs the kingdom of the world. Living in the kingdom of the world, we have say-so in how it’s run and organized, but it’s not run by God or Jesus. In the Kingdom of God we love everyone and God rules over us. We don’t elect him. I think the purpose of voting is to help make the world function in a way that’s more equal for everybody or at least try to be. I am planning to join Braver Angels too.
Julie
It means a lot that Woodland Hills provides an opportunity for people to participate in a Learn-a-thon where we can search our minds and dig a little deeper into the issues that matter in the world.
Since hearing Bill Doherty share about Braver Angels, I knew right away that it was a movement I wanted to get involved in. I took the plunge last May and registered as a Braver Angels member.
In August, I attended a Braver Angels workshop called “Skills for Bridging the Divide.” Many of the workshops allow individuals to learn and engage their listening skills with one another in small breakout rooms so we can learn and then practice recognizing and disarming our “inner polarizer” — a term I learned in the program.
Becoming a Braver Angels member was one of the smartest things I think I’ve ever done, and hey, it only cost $12 to sign up! I very much appreciate Woodland Hills, Bill Doherty and the Braver Angels crew for creating a safe space to listen and share and even be able to learn to disagree better.
Thank you to each of you who joined the Learn-a-thon and challenged yourselves on this sticky topic. Keep learning, keep growing!
