Debate Vs Dialogue

David Noer (dnoer@elon.edu) writes a monthly column on leadership, organization behavior and community issues for the Greensboro, NC News & Record. Today's column Politics needs to take road less traveled included the following:

Debates -- real debates, not the scripted artificial pap we see between candidate on TV -- have a winner and a loser, and in today's already-polarized, mean-spirited climate usually do more harm than good. What are needed are dialogues. Dialogue participants are provisional in their judgements, honor other viewpoints, seek to broaden their understanding, and seek win/win outcomes.

Can today's politicians seriously ponder this wisdom? Certainly is nice to dream of what could be.