Darth Vader is back!

I originally started this thread with a light hearted but serious tone. Black humour if you like.

I did not imagine that it descend into misunderstanding and folks feeling triggered and threatening to quit.

I am sorry if any of this threads intentions were taken wrongly.

Please do not fight and say harsh words to each other. Agree to disagree.

Mr T,

For what it's worth;

In the last couple of years, I have come to the alarming conclusion that almost everyone has lost the ability to "agree to disagree" (or even exchange differing opinions in a civilised fashion.)

This conclusion is based on my own ad hoc experiences but also my extensive "watching" of the wider world.

Personally, I find this lost ability (and the reasons behind it) to be THE most alarming feature of the human world right now.

I wish more brain power was employed to understand why this has occurred and to do something about it, rather than endlessly fighting about this person or that person or this country or that country or this policy or that policy.

I also find it weird and alarming that I am generally considered "weird and alarmist" for expressing concern about this point.

Accordingly, I will shut up.

Number.

Mr T,

For what it's worth;

In the last couple of years, I have come to the alarming conclusion that almost everyone has lost the ability to "agree to disagree" (or even exchange differing opinions in a civilised fashion.)

This conclusion is based on my own ad hoc experiences but also my extensive "watching" of the wider world.

Personally, I find this lost ability (and the reasons behind it) to be THE most alarming feature of the human world right now.

I wish more brain power was employed to understand why this has occurred and to do something about it, rather than endlessly fighting about this person or that person or this country or that country or this policy or that policy.

I also find it weird and alarming that I am generally considered "weird and alarmist" for expressing concern about this point.

Accordingly, I will shut up.

Number.

I totally agree with you Number, in fact it is quite refreshing to hear someone else say it. I first noticed it during the Brexit debate and it has got worse ever since. 

I believe it stems from social media. People live in a bubble surrounded by the tweets and statuses of people they agree with. If they see an opinion they disagree with they can either shout verbal abuse at them on the internet with no real life consequences of merely delete them from their lives by blocking or unfollowing them. Then when they come across an opinion they object to in real life they are unable to deal with it and seek to have that person cancelled or, worse, arrested. 

In the pre social media world, people of different viewpoints would sit around a table in a pub, coffee shop or dinner party and discuss their views in a calm, rational manner, learn from each other's perspectives and part friends. Sadly this mature, adult way of dealing with things is no more and instead everyone screams at each other like toddlers in a playground. 

The old "pub debate" is dead