3405 - Discussing Topics We Disagree On - A Workshop (Alice Huang)
Course Description
Instructor: Alice Huang
Are you bothered about feeling like your relationships may be at risk whenever the conversation turns to topics you are passionate about? Do you wish there were a way to learn more about what people who disagree with you think, without putting your relationships in jeopardy? Would you like some ideas about talking constructively when you disagree passionately with your conversation partners? This workshop is a chance to explore what might help, and to learn from each other about some topics that may be difficult to discuss. In the process, we will consider the importance of learning about the perspectives of people who disagree with us and about the nuances of what we agree and disagree on, the effects of the common tendency to push people into mutually exclusive us-vs-them categories, and the challenge of trying to learn from those we think are wrong.
Bio: Much of “what everyone’s talking about” these days seems to drive us apart, so we wind up more and more talking with only people we agree with about everything. This workshop is an effort to get more of us talking with each other again, even when we disagree about some things. I come to this with a background in biomedical research, and experience designing and conducting workshops and leading discussion groups. I look forward to learning with you about discussing topics we disagree on.