Keeping It Civil: How To Talk Politics Without Letting Things Turn Ugly
Whether it's shouting matches in Congress, feuds on social media, a testy exchange between co-workers or a heated argument among family members, civility increasingly feels like a relic of the past.
In a deeply divided America, a casual political debate can easily spiral into a shouting match â even if both parties set out to keep things civil. So how can we talk about thorny issues with people who fundamentally disagree with us?
Over the past two months, NPR has been traveling the country for our series to see how Americans are grappling with the idea of civility in polarizing times. During that time, we heard from the new mayor of the very idea of civility; we reported on a gathering of political opposites ; and who admit that their online feuds might be friendlier if they could just meet in person. Often, we heard the same thing: Talking across difference is hard.
