More Alike Than Unalike: A Plea for Civil Discourse

As American society becomes increasingly polarized, civil discourse is waning. From the mainstream media to Twitter and a host of other social media applications, Americans hear a steady stream of unfounded accusations, demeaning comments and vitriol. In 2017, a survey by the American Psychological Association found nearly 60% of Americans felt stressed because of current social divisiveness, and this contributed to high levels of negativity in their communications. When and why did this hostility become so prevalent? How can citizens learn to value differing opinions when so many people exist in silos, interacting only with others who share their opinions? Does civility require you to give up the right to free speech? How can America find its way back to civil discourse? How can we affirm Maya Angelou’s wisdom: “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike”?

Panel Moderator:  Amanda Stadler, Community Partnership of the Ozarks

Panel Producer:  Lyndsey Strahan, Ozarks Technical Community College

• Live closed captioning is provided.