"Recently, I was struck by the historic rise of Zohran Mamdani, who was just elected mayor of New York City. Of course, my uncle and I exchanged jabs at each other on election night about what this meant for the future. For me, the success of Mamdani's campaign was a sign of the power of listening and finding common ground across enormous divides-a novel approach to politics as usual in this country."
"Whenever we get together, we spar over the very issues that divide much of the United States-immigration, abortion, homelessness, public education, and more. We each live and work within bubbles of our own political alignment, so it's no surprise that we clash. What is surprising, though, is that something rare happens when we do: Not only do we share our ideas (with great passion), but we also truly listen to one another."
Polarization is rising even as many people share values, priorities, and visions for the future. Face-to-face encounters between loved ones with opposing views can produce genuine listening alongside passionate disagreement. Listening enables individuals to exchange ideas respectfully and to understand differing perspectives. A political campaign that intentionally listened to a broad cross-section of residents built a platform that resonated across diverse communities and achieved electoral success. The campaign credited its popularity to perspectives gathered from everyday workers and neighbors. Deliberate listening and connection can bridge divides and create shared ground for addressing contested issues.
Read at Psychology Today
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