Kwame Anthony Appiah: Sidling Up to Difference

[Dr. Cheese]

Sidling Up to Difference with Kwame Anthony Appiah | The Civil Conversations Project [onBeing.org]

This was an interesting program I heard this morning. As you all might know, I have decided to lay off posting about race. Appiah argues that directly talking about difference is not an efficient way to find common ground, but instead people should focus on common humanity.

This is something I believe but I have always been one who did not shy from an argument. My point is that I think I have moved more towards the Appiah position because creating bad feelings often keeps people from knowing each other at deeper level.

[()smoke()]

looking over the website, this has me pretty interested in downloading the mp3 to listen to later tonite...i think the concept makes a lot of sense at more than the superficial level

i think that when we keep ourselves focused, our similarities as people have a chance to glow, and in many ways, we all share similar struggles and hopes, like similar plot lines, just wrapped in the context of a different setting...sometimes even similar setting

[VincentSalizeri]

I think I've mentioned this before, but "us vs them" mentality is a universal human trait. The more we look at each others similarities, the less powerful this will be. I've noticed it in myself, even. The more I see in common with other people, the easier it is for me to like them.

[ugly_bassplayer]

Originally Posted by VincentSalizeri

I think I've mentioned this before, but "us vs them" mentality is a universal human trait. The more we look at each others similarities, the less powerful this will be. I've noticed it in myself, even. The more I see in common with other people, the easier it is for me to like them.

Excellent post.

[()smoke()]

Originally Posted by VincentSalizeri

I think I've mentioned this before, but "us vs them" mentality is a universal human trait.

i disagree. pervasive, maybe, but not universal...all it takes is spending a few minutes with a young child to see that it isn't universal

...but i agree with the second part of your post

[sandmangeck]

I think we could accomplish/heal alot more in the USA/World if we came toghether as a population. I think creating animosity towards eachother keeps us scramblin', arguing over menial issues.

[Brad Johnson]

...and generates a ton of money. I don't see it stopping anytime soon. Fairly depressing thought.

BTW not talking about the differences also tends to lead some people to think that everything's okay. After all, there aren't many people talking about stuff anymore


If talking about race bothers someone, ultimately that's their problem... among other things no doubt. Here on TB you could count on the same people jumping in time after time whenever there was a racial component to a thread that Anthony started. They hate the subject like a dog hates licking his nether region. And certainly don't mind being as predictable.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

...and generates a ton of money. I don't see it stopping anytime soon. Fairly depressing thought.

BTW not talking about the differences also tends to lead some people to think that everything's okay. After all, there aren't many people talking about stuff anymore


If talking about race bothers someone, ultimately that's their problem... among other things no doubt. Here on TB you could count on the same people jumping in time after time whenever there was a racial component to a thread that Anthony started. They hate the subject like a dog hates licking his nether region. And certainly don't mind being as predictable.

That's true Brad. I'm just interested in doing something different from the sort of threads I ave started over the last few years.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

That's true Brad. I'm just interested in doing something different from the sort of threads I ave started over the last few years.

That's cool... just don't think that the people who act dumb in your threads are your fault. Not that you could be that blunt in a thread and get away with it.


Did anyone start a thread about the guy in Mississippi who got run and killed by the leader of a group of young White guys* (who were on the hunt for a Black person to "mess with) who had just beaten him up? Nice to see that racism is over... again.

With everything going on these days, a better reason to stop is it's more akin to pissing in the wind. The whole sad state of affairs in this country is as dismal as I've ever seen.




*I initially wrote "people" and I guess technically they still qualify as such but...

[()smoke()]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

That's cool... just don't think that the people who act dumb in your threads are your fault. Not that you could be that blunt in a thread and get away with it.


Did anyone start a thread about the guy in Mississippi who got run and killed by the leader of a group of young White guys* (who were on the hunt for a Black person to "mess with) who had just beaten him up? Nice to see that racism is over... again.

With everything going on these days, a better reason to stop is it's more akin to pissing in the wind. The whole sad state of affairs in this country is as dismal as I've ever seen.




*I initially wrote "people" and I guess technically they still qualify as such but...

what happened here is truly terrible, and shameful...

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

That's cool... just don't think that the people who act dumb in your threads are your fault. Not that you could be that blunt in a thread and get away with it.


Did anyone start a thread about the guy in Mississippi who got run and killed by the leader of a group of young White guys* (who were on the hunt for a Black person to "mess with) who had just beaten him up? Nice to see that racism is over... again.

With everything going on these days, a better reason to stop is it's more akin to pissing in the wind. The whole sad state of affairs in this country is as dismal as I've ever seen.




*I initially wrote "people" and I guess technically they still qualify as such but...

It's more like pissing into a level 5 hurricane.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by ()smoke()

i disagree. pervasive, maybe, but not universal...all it takes is spending a few minutes with a young child to see that it isn't universal

+1

It's a taught trait. Not to violate TOS, but just look at how politics in our country are ran. The 'us vs them' thing is definitely taught to us because it helps other people in higher places get what they want while distracting everyone else over petty nonsense.

[Dr. Cheese]

The link has been deleted since there is a thread devoted to that story.

[sloasdaylight]

Well I'm glad this thread got back on track quickly.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by VincentSalizeri

I think I've mentioned this before, but "us vs them" mentality is a universal human trait. The more we look at each others similarities, the less powerful this will be. I've noticed it in myself, even. The more I see in common with other people, the easier it is for me to like them.

I always thought that we are taught too much diversity and focused on how we are all different rather than teaching children what we all have in common, as humans.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by sloasdaylight

Well I'm glad this thread got back on track quickly.

Interesting to see when you decide to post. If I wanted to make draw attention to that terrible incident, I would have given it a separate thread.

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

+1

It's a taught trait. Not to violate TOS, but just look at how politics in our country are ran. The 'us vs them' thing is definitely taught to us because it helps other people in higher places get what they want while distracting everyone else over petty nonsense.

Nope.

It's an inherent evolved trait.

What is taught (and is completely malleable) is what defines the "other".

It can be race, it can be religion, it can be nationalism, etc.

There will always be an inherent tendency to differentiate on "us" and "them" - we just need to work on what we teach as the definitions of "us" and "them".

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by aborgman

Nope.

It's an inherent evolved trait.

What is taught (and is completely malleable) is what defines the "other".

It can be race, it can be religion, it can be nationalism, etc.

There will always be an inherent tendency to differentiate on "us" and "them" - we just need to work on what we teach as the definitions of "us" and "them".

Us = People of the Planet Earth

Them = Extraterrestrials!

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Us = People of the Planet Earth

Them = Extraterrestrials!

Bingo.

Once we get to that point, we'll be ok.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by aborgman

Bingo.

Once we get to that point, we'll be ok.

Then we can get NASA back together and do some real space exploration.

Its still a long time coming, but hopefully we can get there at some point.