[Neurons] 2020 Neurons #53 THEY BOTH LOST

[Michael Hall]

From: L. Michael Hall   

2020 Neurons #53

September 30, 2020

Reflections on Politics #8

 

THEY BOTH LOST

 

I was disappointed.  I had much higher expectations for the first
presidential debate, but the reality proved very disappointing.  It did not
seem professional for either person- to talk over and interrupt someone when
that person has the opportunity to talk is juvenile.  That's what immature
people who have not learned any social graces does.  Trump started it and
Biden reacted in kind.  It was not professional also in the name calling
which Biden most engaged in calling the President a liar, a racist, and a
clown and told him, "man shut up."  Trump only did it once returning the
lable of liar.

 

It was also not professional in all of the personal insults.  Most of the
time the personal references had nothing to do with the question that was
put forth.  And when exchanges get personal like that, it is the cognitive
fallacy of ad hominen - "to the person" that is, an attack on the person's
position by attacking the person's character.  Professional communicators do
not do that.  And if they do, they catch themselves, apologize and back up.

 

I was disappointed in the low quality of information.  It sounded like two
commercials- each one running with his talking points to his fans.  There
was no searching for truth and seeking to understand the other.  The
presentations were full of platitudes and half-truths- on both sides.  In
terms of achieving the status of a dialogue- it failed completely.  It was
more a case of yelling at each other with insults and low level sarcasms.

 

In a genuine dialogue, people stop, step back and examine their thinking.
They are willing to look at their assumptions and presuppositions.  But none
of that happened.  There was hardly a half-second space between exchanges-
not the kind of context for seeking to present different views in an
understandable way.

 

There were a few questions asked of each- Biden simply refused to answer
three or four questions directly and changed the subject.  Trump also could
have provided a direct answer, but went off on side issues.

 

What was good and highly commendatory was Chris Wallace's performance.  He
provided excellent open-ended questions that allowed each man lots of room
for responding.  He followed up and reminded them of the question when they
got off.  He reminded both of the rules, pleased with them to follow the
rules, and even held each accountable to talking over when they did.  I
don't know how much he had to drink after that to calm his nerves(!) - or if
he could sleep last night, but he did a great job in spite of the two
juveniles going at it.

 

Both need to learn how to communicate in a professional way- both need some
basic NLP training, some training in listening before responding, some
skills in framing.  Both need my books Communication Magic and Unleashing
Leadership.   If you talk to them today, tell them I'll send them the books
at my expense.  Or drop the idea that they might want to contact a
Meta-Coach- we have nearly 4,000 world-wide who would be fully qualified.

 

 

[This series on Political Thinking represents my thinking, and mine alone.
It does not necessarily represent Neuro-Semantics which is a psychological
model.   You can reach me at  <mailto:meta at acsol.net> meta at acsol.net   L.
Michael Hall, Ph.D.  For the book Political Coaching, see the link -
<http://www.neurosemantics.com/political-coaching/>
www.neurosemantics.com/political-coaching/ ]

 

                            Political Coaching is now in PDF format on The
Shop

 
https://www.neurosemantics.com/shop/page/3/  

 

 

 

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Neuro-Semantics

P.O. Box 8

Clifton CO. 81520 USA

www.neurosemantics.com 

 

To unsubscribe to Neurons, send request to meta at acsol.net 

Humor is a meta-perspective about incongruity, exaggeration, playfulness,
and even absurdity.

For a touch of humor --- see the new book --- HUMOROUS THINKING  (2020)

 

 



 

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