“I” Statements

Continuing this week’s exploration of ways to discuss different political opinions with people on the other side of the aisle, here’s another tip from Braver Angels, an organization that brings together people from across the political spectrum to learn how to communicate with respect.

All too often in political conversations, we use dogmatic statements – a statement that forcibly asserts your view as authoritative and unchallengeable.

That’s a pretty quick way to put someone on the defensive. We’re all guilty of this.

A more effective way to maintain respect is the “I” Statement. 

Instead of saying “How can you not see this?” you might say “This is how I see it.”

The signal is not that “you’re wrong” but “I see it differently.”

Tomorrow, we’ll look at the last of these “talking politics” tips, depolarizing language.