These days one has to tread very gently. It's like walking on eggshells. Due to the unexpected turn of political events globally, What'sapp chat groups, Facebook comments and dinner discussions are dominated with thinly veiled disagreements that explode into full fledged fights. The best policy seems to be to refrain, abstain, avoid, cease and desist! But that's as easy as ignoring severe weather alerts that are beeping on your phone. Any time you glance even sideways at a newspaper or TV channel, events are breaking at a breathtaking pace. Daily news is a soap opera edging out all other forms of entertainment. It's a ratings and revenue bonanza for the channels. It's all around us 24/7, so the question is how do you pretend that there is no elephant in the room?
On chat groups we have made rules about what may be discussed. Partly out of the real or imagined fear that big brother is watching and primarily because any pertinent topic can be an incendiary cocktail.
What's the correct strategy? Should we stick to inane topics? Talk about the weather, exchange recipes, funny videos or talk about something "safe" such as women's rights (not)! One lesson learnt is that you might agree with each other on a lot of issues but when it comes to political views, all bets are off. I have witnessed fights erupt over Narendra Modi, the Donald, Rani Padmavati the movie, and Brexit. These happened at different venues and in person and over multimedia. 
The truth is that nerves are frayed, and much like our politicians we have become intolerant of each other's views. I am not pointing fingers, I am guilty of the same at times.
Civil discourse is a thing of the past or perhaps it never did exist. It is difficult to agree to disagree. Every discussion has to be a zero sum game. Live and let live is considered to be the language of the 'losers'.
For me personally there is a ray of sunshine.
For me personally there is a ray of sunshine.
I work at an organization where I interact with people from literally the entire world. It is a good reminder that it's a big world out there and it's very liberating to know that there are all kinds of thoughts and views.
Being an expatriate myself I have learnt a lot about being tolerant. Being an immigrant I can now understand how the migrant worker feels in my Mumbai; being brown in a primarily non-diverse town brings home to me the plight of minorities in our country. By reading, traveling and actually living in the other we can be sympathetic to a viewpoint that is contrary to ours.
The world around us is changing rapidly, case in point, the three parent baby, men having the ability to reproduce(I rest my case!) ... We need to adapt too.
Being an expatriate myself I have learnt a lot about being tolerant. Being an immigrant I can now understand how the migrant worker feels in my Mumbai; being brown in a primarily non-diverse town brings home to me the plight of minorities in our country. By reading, traveling and actually living in the other we can be sympathetic to a viewpoint that is contrary to ours.
The world around us is changing rapidly, case in point, the three parent baby, men having the ability to reproduce(I rest my case!) ... We need to adapt too.
