As an addendum to my last post on science and faith, I’m including a couple of clips and the full talk with Timothy Keller and Jonathan Haidt at NYU on the Veritas Forum. I picked this lecture because it illustrates how people with opposing views can actually come together and have a meaningful conversation.
Here’s how the video describes the event:
Social psychologist and atheist public intellectual Jonathan Haidt and author and pastor Tim Keller are leading voices in their respective fields. On February 22, 2017, they sat down with Tamarie Macon at NYU for a discussion on religion, morality and pluralism.
As both Keller and Haidt believe, and I agree, we find ourselves living in a dangerous time for our culture. I said this recently on Nan’s blog post, “You’re Wrong and I’m Right!” It seems that demagoguery and ideological and political polarization has won the day over actually listening and seeking to understand the other side and getting to know them as a human being. It’s a relational dysfunction of our soundbite culture.
Arguments are seen as battles that need to be won at all cost rather than actually communicating and understanding one another. And anyone who actually attempts to listen to the opposing side and, God forbid, agree with them, are basically told by their ideological compatriots that they’re just accommodating the “enemy.”
The full talk is long but especially good because it addresses the issues we face with the breakdown of civility in our culture today. I know most of us don’t have time to sit down and watch a long video, so here’s a couple of teaser clips to motive you.
This first clip is from Keller’s opening remarks. He talks about a major problem why we have not successfully had a pluralistic society:
This second clip features Jonathan Haidt where he talks about the changes that have taken place that have given rise to illiberalism from both the right and the left in our culture, and both Haidt and Keller dispel the myth that we cannot have meaningful discussions unless we all agree.
And now for the feature presentation.
Again, it is well worth the watch. They say so many good things and do a great job of identifying the problem and explaining why we’re in the situation we’re in today as a culture, along with giving helpful tips to become part of the solution.
In My Father's House 
Quite interesting, Mel. I keep trying to express a similar idea. Whatever happened to legends,myths,and love? Fairytales? Miracles? Such things are crazy talk these days.
The modern mind has grown so skeptical, so cynical and bitter. Our discussions are often all about playing capture the flag and seizing territory,as if someone’s mind or belief system was actually territory to be claimed and controlled. Actually that’s rather creepy. Also it kind of casts those of us who insist upon thinking for ourselves, perpetually outside the tribe, as a defective unit.
Me and John the baptist shall go back to eating honey and locus in the wilderness now. 🙂
“Our discussions are often all about playing capture the flag and seizing territory,as if someone’s mind or belief system was actually territory to be claimed and controlled. Actually that’s rather creepy.”
Yes, it is rather creepy and hypocritical. No one can tell me what to do…but I’ll tell you what to do! Don’t push your morals on me…but you are evil!. We are the free thinkers…and you are wrong if you don’t think like us! 🙂
It would be comical if it wasn’t so creepy, combative, and uncivil. After all, we can’t just agree to disagree, we must be right and demonize and ridicule all opposing views. They must be wrong about everything! Sounds like some insecurity issues going on.
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“It’s a relational dysfunction of our soundbite culture.” Excellent. My 88-year-young father has a 92-year-young friend of many years. They are of polar opposite political views, but have always been able to converse with each other concerning their views without any harm (and probably as a cement) to their friendship. Dad now also bewails the vitriol in society when there are divergent viewpoints.
Thanks Dawn. It is sad that people cannot have a civil conversation with people they disagree with. It truly is a relational dysfunction of our culture.
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