Happy birthday shoutout to Jorun in SF!
The night after her Civics midterm this week, our 9th-grader and I enjoyed a live civics lesson on the radio.
In case you missed the Congressional debate, it alternated between each side, pro- and con- on whether or not to impeach.
It was interesting to watch Devorah's reactions to the speakers.
Regardless of which side you're on, you have to admit that every congressperson spoke with great passion, clarity and certainty about the justness of their position.
Several speakers used the expression, "my friend so-and-so on the other side of the aisle" or "my colleagues on the other side of the aisle."
This got me thinking — why is it that Democrats and Republicans sit segregated like that?
Would mixing them up — for instance, seating them alphabetically — improve their ability to compromise?
It reminded me of the first day of my first job out of college.
I was hired to teach in a public school in rural Mississippi.
The first day was a staff day at the elementary school. I walked in with all of the other teachers at 8:30 and entered the library for the meetings.
But there I faced my first great dilemma as a teacher.
The room was divided into two sides, with a row of short bookshelves-on-wheels down the middle.
On the left side sat all of the black teachers, on the right side, all of the white teachers.
Here I was, a white Jewish guy from the West coast, raised by colorblind parents. If I sat with the white folks, I'd be participating in the segregation. If I sat with the black folks, I might be making some kind of scene.
Question for your table: What would you do?
By the way, that scene repeated itself every day of the school year — in the lunchroom, the black and white teachers sat a separate tables. Again I ask (for your table) — Where would you sit?
And maybe to bring this home, a 3rd question for your table: All the grand-standing not withstanding, how might it affect the culture of Congress if they were seated alphabetically or randomly, rather than by party?
(In case you were wondering, the question has been studied by social scientists, but remains far from conclusive.)
Shabbat Shalom
PS - In the mood for some more WOWs this weekend? Here's a short and a long.
In case you missed the Congressional debate, it alternated between each side, pro- and con- on whether or not to impeach.
It was interesting to watch Devorah's reactions to the speakers.
Regardless of which side you're on, you have to admit that every congressperson spoke with great passion, clarity and certainty about the justness of their position.
Several speakers used the expression, "my friend so-and-so on the other side of the aisle" or "my colleagues on the other side of the aisle."
This got me thinking — why is it that Democrats and Republicans sit segregated like that?
Would mixing them up — for instance, seating them alphabetically — improve their ability to compromise?
It reminded me of the first day of my first job out of college.
I was hired to teach in a public school in rural Mississippi.
The first day was a staff day at the elementary school. I walked in with all of the other teachers at 8:30 and entered the library for the meetings.
But there I faced my first great dilemma as a teacher.
The room was divided into two sides, with a row of short bookshelves-on-wheels down the middle.
On the left side sat all of the black teachers, on the right side, all of the white teachers.
Here I was, a white Jewish guy from the West coast, raised by colorblind parents. If I sat with the white folks, I'd be participating in the segregation. If I sat with the black folks, I might be making some kind of scene.
Question for your table: What would you do?
By the way, that scene repeated itself every day of the school year — in the lunchroom, the black and white teachers sat a separate tables. Again I ask (for your table) — Where would you sit?
And maybe to bring this home, a 3rd question for your table: All the grand-standing not withstanding, how might it affect the culture of Congress if they were seated alphabetically or randomly, rather than by party?
(In case you were wondering, the question has been studied by social scientists, but remains far from conclusive.)
Shabbat Shalom
PS - In the mood for some more WOWs this weekend? Here's a short and a long.
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