<
https://theconversation.com/bridging-americas-divides-requires-a-willingness-to-work-together-without-becoming-friends-first-143648>
"Amid two crises – the pandemic and the national reckoning sparked by
the killing of George Floyd – there have been anguished calls for
Americans to come together across lines of race and partisanship. Change
would come, a USA Today contributor wrote, only “when we become
sensitized to the distress of our neighbors.”
Empathy born of intimacy was the prepandemic solution to the nation’s
fractured political landscape. If Americans could simply get to know one
another, to share stories and appreciate each other’s struggles, civic
leaders argued, we would develop a sense of understanding and empathy
that would extend beyond the single encounter.
But after studying how Americans cooperate, both in moments of political
upheaval and in ordinary times, I am convinced that tackling America’s
political divide demands more than intimacy – and less than it."
Via Muse, who wrote "Great article about what actually helps to bridge
cultural divides."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
