Justin Lee's "Talking Across the Divide" offers practical strategies for navigating disagreements and fostering constructive dialogue. The book emphasizes the importance of empathy, active listening, and storytelling in bridging divides. Lee challenges readers to move beyond the typical responses of fighting, avoiding, or compromising, advocating instead for a more nuanced approach to communication. He draws on personal experiences and research to illustrate how to engage in meaningful conversations with those who hold opposing viewpoints. The book provides a framework for understanding the psychological barriers to effective dialogue and offers tools for overcoming them.
Justin Lee's "Torn" delves into the complexities of reconciling faith and LGBTQ+ identity, particularly within the context of evangelical Christianity. The book shares Lee's personal journey of grappling with his sexuality and his beliefs, offering a powerful narrative of self-discovery and acceptance. Lee challenges traditional interpretations of scripture and explores the potential for inclusivity within faith communities. He highlights the harm caused by exclusionary practices and advocates for a more compassionate and understanding approach to LGBTQ+ individuals. The book serves as a testament to the importance of empathy and the possibility of finding peace amidst conflict.
Building on years of international reporting, Max Fisher tells the gripping story of how Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social networks preyed on psychological frailties to create algorithms that drive users to extreme opinions and actions. The book explores how the companies' founding tenets and focus on maximizing engagement have led to a destabilized world, marked by increasing social and political polarization, misinformation, and violence. Fisher also highlights the stories of heroic outsiders and Silicon Valley defectors who raised alarms about these issues.
In this episode, we speak with Justin Lee about navigating difference and division in a polarised world. Justin shares his journey reconciling his identity as a gay man with his evangelical Christian upbringing, a path that led to his work fostering dialogue across divides. He explores the challenges of echo chambers, the instinct to fight or avoid disagreement, and the power of listening, storytelling, and empathy in building bridges. It's a conversation about the courage to hold space for complexity—and for hope.
After the interview, Tim Nash and Nick Thorley reflect on their own bumpy road of navigating difference.
Interview starts at 14m 23s
Books, quotes, links →
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