Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Confronting the Culture of Contempt

This evening I'll be giving a talk at my church entitled, "Beyond Partisanship: How to Talk Politics With People You Disagree With, and Why It Matters."
The structure of the presentation is actually the reverse: I deal first with "why it matters," drawing heavily on my presentation "The Democracy That Broke, a link to which is in the comments); and then the "how to" part, which follows a recent book by Arthur C. Brooks, entitled Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from a Culture of Contempt.
Brooks is an evangelical Christian and political conservative who until recently was president of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. Recently he gained an unwelcome moment in the spotlight when he gave the keynote address at the recent National Prayer Breakfast, which called upon the audience to push back against the toxic political climate--only to have President Trump follow him to the dais, tell Brooks he disagreed with him, and proceed to savagely attack a number of political enemies.
It is contempt--a combination of anger and disgust--that Brooks regards as the essence of today's toxic political culture of hyper partisanship.
At the end of the book he offers “Five Rules to Subvert the Culture of Contempt.”
Rule 1. Stand Up to the Man. Refuse to be used by the powerful.
Brooks writes, “Many people don’t believe they are being used by others. Why not? Think for a second about a manipulative leader—someone you know of who really uses people’s hatred for his or her own goals of money, power, or fame. Got the image in your head?
“Well, guess what. You have the wrong image, because that’s someone you dislike….. The right image of a powerful manipulator is someone on your side of the bubble.”
As an example appropriate to this evening's very liberal audience the PowerPoint slide for Rule 1 features MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, who earns $7 million annually as a news anchor at MSNBC and has an estimated net worth of $20 million. She’s very good at her job, The Rachel Maddow Show has a viewership of 3 million, about the same as The Sean Hannity Show on Fox.
Those viewers don’t tune in to have their political opinions challenged. Instead Maddow, in her cheery way, assures them that they are right and that Republicans are corrupt and hypocritical and her attitude is basically one of contempt. It’s not as brazen as that of, say, Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh, or Laura Ingraham, but it’s there. You don’t notice it because you’re experiencing that same sense of contempt, which feels like righteous indignation.
Rule 2. Escape the bubble. Go where you’re not invited, and say things people don’t expect.
For this one I discuss my encounters with my fellow members at the local Moose Lodge, most of whom are Republicans and many of whom I would characterize as Trump supporters who constitute his base. Although I was certainly invited, as a liberal professor I wasn't really expected to accept, and I don't so much say things people don't expect as model respect for them as people. I listen to their views, with the objective of understanding them rather than persuading them, while at the same time maintaining my own political opinions.
Rule 3. Say no to contempt. Treat others with love and respect, even when it’s difficult.
I illustrate this rule with a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.
My notes for the slide read: This approach depends upon principled self-discipline--a relentless recognition of the humanity of the other person and respect for their story, without retreating from your own convictions but without condemnation of the other person’s convictions—even when they cannot themselves refrain from a belligerent, judgmental, rejecting response.
Richard Attenborough’s 1982 biopic about Mahatma Gandhi includes a scene that neatly encapsulates his basic philosophy about how to handle conflict with others. He and a clergyman named Charlie are walking down a street and find themselves heading straight toward a group of young toughs who begin to sneer and appear willing to get violent.
Charlie suggests it may be best to retreat from the looming confrontation and begins to turn away.
Gandhi restrains him and shakes his head.
GANDHI: Doesn't the New Testament say, "If your enemy strikes you on the right cheek, offer him the left?"
He starts to move forward. Charlie hesitates, then follows nervously, more nervous for Gandhi than himself.
CHARLIE: I think perhaps the phrase was used metaphorically . . . I don't think our Lord meant –
They are getting closer. The youths laughing, whispering.
GANDHI: I'm not so certain. I have thought about it a great deal. I suspect he meant you must show courage – be willing to take a blow – several blows – to show you will not strike back – nor will you be turned aside . . . And when –
One youth has flicked his cigarette – hard. It lands at Gandhi's feet. He pauses, looking at the youth.
GANDHI: . . . and when you do that it calls upon something in human nature – something that makes his hate for you diminish and his respect increase. I think Christ grasped that and I – I have seen it work.
At that point the mother of one of the toughs appears. There's no note of apology in her cold stare at Gandhi, but she clearly believes her son should not be doing what he is doing, and her presence de-escalates the situation. Gandhi walks past the chastened tough and says courteously, “You’ll find there’s room for us both.”
Rule 4. Disagree better. Be part of a healthy competition of ideas.
I illustrate this rule with the cover of a children's book entitled "The Living JFK," which I read at age. The example I use is the technique of sharing political autobiographies, which I've written about elsewhere, and a link to this essay is also in the comments.
Rule 5. Tune out. Disconnect more from the unproductive debates.
For this one I just use one of my favorite memes: "Tired of angry political posts clogging your [Facebook] feed? Here is a trunk full of puppies."
I'll be curious to see how this goes over. But in any event, it's just the first in a series of events I'll organize and execute in the weeks ahead.

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