The Art of Listening

[hollodero]

(07-29-2019, 11:36 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: I will grant you that not everyone's mind can be changed.  However, I would advance the idea that listening to them instead of shouting at and castigating them is still the smarter route.  Attacking them is still likely to cause them to dig in their heels and further entrench their opinions.  It also is likely to drive them further in the other direction as they equate "the other side" with being attacked and called names.  If you need a prime example look at the US today.  It's all name calling and no listening.

Oh, I do agree with that, civility alone suggests that. Listening and being respectful is a successful strategy to be well liked and have a nicer discourse. I just don't believe there's much success to be had on that smarter route in terms of changing people's minds. 
Most folks only mind their recipient if he annoys them - if he doesn't, he's just a simple open mind one can throw every kind of things in and that's his whole function. Being respectful seldomly gives a person's opinion more authority, for it mostly has none to begin with. One still should be respectful, sure, and I strive to be. As a matter of civility.

Now if everyone would change, things might be differently... but the majority won't. The majority will continue to shout and castigate and set the environment. I grant, I often think a Trump presidency would be impossible if the left weren't quite that disrespectful and smug, leading to that "dig in" route you mentioned.