Relational spaces in a transactional world

The High Line: NYC

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

(Not quite Voltaire) 

I wonder how Voltaire would have fared in the highly charged, unequivocal discussions and aggressive debates that characterise today's political and (social) media communications?

Assertions are made, positions are taken and defended, it gets personal, and the shouting starts.

Troll. Rocket Man. Dotard. Deplorable. Front-stabber. Remoaner. Pleb. Denier...

More than ever, we need people who can ‘hold’ a conversation; help us avoid binaries, work with uncomfortable complexity and avoid the collapse into unfounded certainty.

And, we need the courage and resolve to relentlessly empower each other in the creation of relational, dialogic, shared spaces that catalyse generous, considered, critical conversations worthy of Voltaire’s offer.  

Notes:

Sticklers will know that the Voltaire quote is thought to be a misattribution by Evelyn Beatrice Hall as an illustration of his beliefs in her book, ‘The Friends of Voltaire.'

Take a look at my conversation with Jane Riddiford  ~ "Vision grows in the footsteps of shared commitment" - The Photo-Dialogues