tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646979.post1470629056731017887..comments2024-01-01T15:35:12.954-07:00Comments on Simple Utah Mormon Politics: I'm Right...and You're Stupid. How Civil is Utah Politics?Frank Stahelihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01822334061980912687noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646979.post-10549624069374865462009-09-30T20:29:24.902-06:002009-09-30T20:29:24.902-06:00It was good to see you Frank. Thanks for being th...It was good to see you Frank. Thanks for being there.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15268367840057258095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646979.post-49644478900961449602009-09-30T17:39:29.422-06:002009-09-30T17:39:29.422-06:00There's one thing that I haven't seen addr...There's one thing that I haven't seen addressed anywhere in regards to civility. Though it was touched on a little bit at the briefing. Dave Hansen said that the slash and burn campaign doesn't really work in Utah, and he said the best way to defend against it is with humor. I don't think he meant it this way, but it reminded me of something that's been bouncing around my head for some time.<br /><br />People use a form of humor to attack opponents all the time. This is the form of incivility which I see as the most damaging. CS Lewis called this form of humor <a href="http://magicvalleymormon.blogspot.com/2007/07/screwtape-letters-flippancy.html" rel="nofollow">flippancy.</a> Instead of making a real joke about something, they talk about it as <i>if</i> it were funny, as if the joke were already made. This is why I see it as the most damaging - it removes any possibility of an actual exchange of ideas.Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06016275707476655364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646979.post-7425076160340480902009-09-30T14:58:46.694-06:002009-09-30T14:58:46.694-06:00Holly: Nice catch! Wow, I had forgotten as well,...Holly: Nice catch! Wow, I had forgotten as well, but I googled "state of the union dems boo bush" and found this: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/09/10/flashback_democrats_boo_bush_at_2005_state_of_the_union.html Now I remember. Funny how it does cut both ways... ;-)Frank Stahelihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01822334061980912687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646979.post-67587917834899767672009-09-30T14:55:01.418-06:002009-09-30T14:55:01.418-06:00Speaking of Joe Wilson's outburst - it has hap...Speaking of Joe Wilson's outburst - it has happened. 2005, State of the Union, Dems on the House floor boo-ing the POTUS. How quickly we forget....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646979.post-44097896194084595942009-09-30T14:47:16.031-06:002009-09-30T14:47:16.031-06:00"Why does incivility seem to be more attracti..."Why does incivility seem to be more attractive than civility?"<br /><br />Because it's always exciting to see people argue (unless it gets violent), just like people always have to slow down to look at an accident. We like to see unusual things.<br /><br />"So what's your experience? Is incivility up in the Utah political area?" I used to work in politics in D.C. and did grad school in L.A. and I noticed a huge difference when I came to Utah. People here seem to be more kind, straight-forward, and honest when they discuss/debate things. We have our own problems here for sure, but I think that overall it's better here.JHPhttp://justandholy.blogsome.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25646979.post-42788308660028244192009-09-30T14:43:34.904-06:002009-09-30T14:43:34.904-06:00Do we seek to be civil? I think that is the quest...Do we seek to be civil? I think that is the question Dave Hansen might ask. Is the goal civility, or is persuasion the goal. Which accomplishes what we seek to accomplish? <br /><br />I had been taught by my father to always look at your own motives. Are you trying to dress down someone, or are you trying to persuade them? In an ideal world, we would all have pure motives and seek to understand the other's position in order to contrast our own position's strengths and weaknesses and rethink that position if warranted. <br /><br />However, pride gets in the way for most of us. It is really hard to convince anyone that they are wrong. They might be persuaded to reconsider their position, and come to a different conclusion on their own. Atleast that's my take. <br /><br />Best regards.Obi wan liberalihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04425739293622553830noreply@blogger.com