Guest commentary: Dare to have more wire mesh fencing instead of building firewalls
Why a spoonful of dirt, a beer on the garden fence, and 30 percent lack of understanding can make our democracy more resilient. A guest post by neuropsychologist Laura Wünsch on the eve of the state elections.
A German author reflects on the current state of societal discourse, citing the rise of the AfD party in Saxony-Anhalt and potential gains in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The author laments the lack of a culture of constructive disagreement, likening it to not exposing children to small amounts of dirt to build their immune systems. The author, a scientist in psycho-neuroimmunology, shares a personal experience of discussing COVID-19 vaccination with friends who refused to get vaccinated, finding that presenting facts did not change their minds.
Studies show that people often become more entrenched in their views when presented with opposing facts.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
