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Civil, reasoned, friendly and free debate is becoming extinct. Instead, one is expected to always adhere to the general consensus and align with the official narrative. That is not healthy for creativity and democracy.

Autumn in Surry Wood by William Russell Flint (1880 – 1969)

Today, I am picking up on one of my 2021 themes, the ‘scene is misty’. But no, it’s not this time — instead, there are so many trees, even though the mist has cleared — so much so we still can’t see clearly where to go.

Lately, I have been reflecting on our response to ‘shut down discussion’ — ‘we can’t talk about that’, ‘let’s move on then’, ‘I have had so much of that I don’t want to go there anymore’. Perhaps you have heard the one about ‘consensus’ and ‘you’re in a minority’.

Consensus has become the acceptable, the only truth, as if any contrary views are wrong. We have become uncomfortable to even entertain a contrary view, so much so that we seek to shut them down or better still, simply ignore them.

What does this say about our character?

Feelings First

Does it mean that we have exalted our feelings to the front of the stage and we have become so sensitive that we can’t stand to have our feelings hurt by a contrary perspective?

I have heard the phrase ‘snowflakes’. Are we afraid that if we entertain opposing views to our own, we will melt like a snowflake in the sun? Is this what has driven cancel culture and the ‘woke’ mentality? Are we cancelling people in our world and don’t know it?

Stifling Discourse

Great inventors, innovators and creatives have always pushed the boundaries. Now that we have elevated the veracity of the consensus, we have increasingly marginalised opposing views that in the past would have inspired the inventors, innovators and creatives.

So much so, that if we take the consensus highway, the only voices we will ever hear are those with the official, sanctioned narrative. We will no longer question, analyse or proffer an alternative.

Back to Basics

My encouragement today — put our feelings aside, refuse the cancel culture and enjoy again the debate and the battle for ideas.

In these days of growing external threats, be they to our health or to our life and liberty, let’s put a stake in the ground and be responsible and accountable for ourselves and our loved ones.

We don’t need so-called ‘experts’ to tell us what to do — we are all intelligent people with minds of our own. We are all uniquely created and crafted by God for His purpose and pleasure. Let’s endeavour to trust Him for our health, life and liberty.

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