Dr. John Inazu encouraged people to find better ways to talk to friends, family, and strangers with opposing viewpoints as part of North Park University’s (NPU) third annual Van Der Meid Lecture in American Politics.
“Stop seeing other people as evil and instead try to see where they’re coming from,” Inazu said while in conversation with Dr. Jonathon Peterson, an NPU professor of politics and government. “People don’t want to hear how wrong they are. The more you legitimately understand the other side, the more you understand the subtleties of your own side.”
Inazu, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, wrote his book Learning How to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people’s views were widely disparate.
He advised his audience to find things they have in common with others, something as small as cheering for the same sports team. This simple human connection can go a long way in building bridges of understanding.
He also advised against spending too much time online.
“Online interactions can be toxic because we see a name and associate it with negativity, and we lose charity and empathy,” Inazu said. “You stay in paradigms where all your people are righteous, and you spend the whole day fighting against reality, and it won’t end well.”
NPU’s Van Der Meid Lectures explore civility in politics and the pursuit of the common good. It’s named after Theodore “Ted” Van Der Meid BA ’79, who served in various senior congressional roles and aimed to bring people together across the political aisle.
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