BBC Learnings · Section 11

Is it OK to disagree

Neil, when you're chatting with friends, do you usually have the same or different opinion

Level: B1 · 91 sentences

Transcript

  1. Neil, when you're chatting with friends,
  2. do you usually have the same or different opinion
  3. on things going on in the world?
  4. Well, that's interesting.
  5. I think I probably have quite similar opinions
  6. and that's kind of why we're friends.
  7. Well, we might like to believe that we're accepting and tolerant of others' beliefs.
  8. But for many people, it can be difficult to communicate with people who have very different opinions to our own.
  9. And this lack of acceptance could be increasing with our use of social media.
  10. For example, algorithms tend to show us what we already like and agree with.
  11. Of course, we can't always agree with everyone else.
  12. We all have personal opinions and beliefs
  13. on topics like religion and politics.
  14. But some worry that it's becoming more and more common
  15. to react with violence when they disagree
  16. than to solve disagreements together peacefully.
  17. So are we becoming a more divided society?
  18. Divided means in disagreement with and separated from others – to not be together.
  19. And how can we be more accepting and open to the opinions of others?
  20. That's what we'll be discussing in this programme.
  21. According to a recent Ipsos poll,
  22. what percentage of the British population believes society is divided?
  23. Is it a 20%, b 50% or c 80%?
  24. Well, I'm going to say 50%.
  25. Well, we'll find out the answer later in the programme.
  26. Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics,
  27. thinks we should learn how to control our emotions
  28. and be open to discussions when we disagree.
  29. Here he explains more about how to do this
  30. on BBC World Service programme All In The Mind.
  31. Generally, we're going to be making better decisions
  32. and more respectfully if we calm down.
  33. It takes 15 minutes when you're proper aroused
  34. for the amygdala to calm down.
  35. But within a few seconds, it can start calming down, right?
  36. You take a deep breath and you start feeling calmer.
  37. It's not to say that always being calm is good.
  38. Anger can be motivational and positive emotions
  39. actually can be very good for us.
  40. Generally, people make better decisions and are more engaging and more open when they're happier.
  41. But much of the time, it will be just the case of calming
  42. down to try and take some of the heat out of the environment.
  43. Paul thinks we should take time to calm down when we feel aroused,
  44. which here means to feel anger or strong disagreement.
  45. He said it takes 15 minutes for the amygdala,
  46. the part of the brain that experiences emotions,
  47. to calm down when we're aroused.
  48. While anger can be motivational, make us more determined and enthusiastic,
  49. Paul says people can speak more openly when they're happier,
  50. when heat is taken out of the environment.
  51. Heat, in this context means an intense feeling, like anger.
  52. Now, one recent dating experiment looked into what people say
  53. they want in an ideal partner, according to their dating profile.
  54. Researchers found that many single people included details on things like
  55. what they want their partner to look like, their height,
  56. the political party they vote for,
  57. but many also say they want a partner who is open-minded and tolerant of different views.
  58. If you are open-minded, you're willing to listen to and consider new ideas.
  59. However, the researchers concluded that while people want a partner to be open-minded and tolerant,
  60. they don't want to be very open-minded themselves.
  61. So how can we be more open to getting to know people that we might disagree with?
  62. Here's Paul Dolan again, talking to presenter Claudia Hammond
  63. of BBC World Service's All In The Mind.
  64. So, I guess one very obvious answer is to get offline.
  65. I mean, to actually just get out more and meet people
  66. because it's what political scientists think is the silver bullet.
  67. The more you're around people that are different,
  68. the more you realise that actually they're not that different
  69. and you become more tolerant and open-minded.
  70. So being around people that are different,
  71. I think that's probably the way that we're going to tackle that problem.
  72. Paul says political scientists think the silver bullet
  73. is to get offline and meet people.
  74. A silver bullet means a simple solution to a complicated problem.
  75. By meeting people who have different opinions and beliefs to you,
  76. the more you'll realise they're not that different to you at all.
  77. And that could make you more accepting
  78. and lead to a society that is less divided.
  79. And speaking of divided, isn't it time you revealed
  80. the answer to your question, Neil?
  81. Yes, I asked what percentage of the British population believes society is divided,
  82. according to a recent poll by the organisation Ipsos.
  83. I said 50%. Was that correct?
  84. It was not correct. It is in fact 80%.
  85. Wow, that's a lot!
  86. OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned in this programme, starting with divided. which means in disagreement, not together.
  87. Aroused means feel a strong emotion, like anger.
  88. If something is motivational, it makes us determined and enthusiastic.
  89. Heat means an intense feeling, like anger.
  90. If you are open-minded, you are willing to listen to and consider new ideas.
  91. And finally, a silver bullet means a simple solution to a complicated problem.