"The past several years have been hard on conversations. 75 percent of Americans now believe the lack of civility has reached a crisis level. The growing problem is that animosity for positions has become disdain for the people who hold them. A healthy and vibrant society cannot survive amidst attacks on the humanity of our fellow Americans.
But each person who sets aside interpersonal conflict for conversation and pledges to listen first tips the scales toward a new direction. In conversations—and the relationships they build—is hope for bridging the divides that threaten the fabric of America."
From "Resolving to Listen First in 2018" by Pearce Godwin, published in The Hill 1/1/2018