Re:The long-term effects of ugly political discussions on Fa...
by tomlock on Tuesday May 03, 2016 @01:46AM
(#11618226)
I think its important to draw a distinction between the past and now. In the past, many oppressed people would never have a chance to participate in "the discourse" because the mere act of them speaking could be seen as inappropriate. The violence against them would be leveled at them outside of the realm of discourse. The discourse may have been civilised, but the civilisation wasn't!
The idea that those people can all participate in the discussion without the fear of direct fist-to-the-face violence, is to me a positive.
I'm pretty sure you already felt that way?
As a rue of thumb, if windows, limbs, and necks aren't being broken, the discourse is still relatively civilised.
I don't believe there's evidence to support the idea that there was ever a golden age of mainstream political civility. I think there may have been a golden age of literate and moderated political journalism, but that was always distinct from the kinds of things that happened - and still do happen, in some ways - to people who happen to be in the wrong out-group.