Out of ten, how would you rate your ability to empathize with people with opposing viewpoints? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 1 week ago by StarvingMartist@sh.itjust.works to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Let's say zero is straight up shutting your ears, going lalala and storming out of the room, let's say 10 is sitting down with a Nazi, genuinely making an effort to see things from their point of view just to see if you could.

Sure this may sound ridiculous but it's basic knowledge that studying your opponents viewpoints is the best way to counter them and get new insight yourself.

Me? Id like to think I'm a 6, I don't cut family ties over their political opinions but I'm very likely to shut that down with a "I don't want to speak politics with you"

Lemmy can be an echo chamber sometimes, but that doesn't mean everyone here is a mindless zombie, how do you all deal with others who believe differently? Can you back it up?

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[-] VoxAliorum@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 week ago

9.5 However, just because I can doesn't mean I have to. I had discussions with a traditional Nazi, with an antisemite, with Corona deniers, ... I've studied philosophy which teaches you to take other viewpoints to understand the inconsistencies.

But doing it for a long time is extremely exhausting which is why I refuse to discuss renewable energy with my father; who's not categorically wrong on that topic but narrow minded and only educates himself as much as needed to believe some convenient half-truths.

this post was submitted on 07 Nov 2025

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