Our public conversations have become toxic. Rumours and fake news are spreading faster than ever before, and being mobbed and slandered has become the norm. Media expert Bernhard Pörksen and communications psychologist Friedemann Schulz von Thun, two prominent representatives of their respective fields, analyse the communication crisis and show ways out of the polarisation trap.
They explain what makes a successful conversation and develop an ethic of talking to each other that combines empathy and esteem with a willingness to argue and to clear the air through confrontation. In concrete terms and with clear examples, they show how conversations and discussions can be improved.
A book that we urgently need in an age of flaring tempers and populist simplifications.