On Horton, Trudeau and LinkedIn.

I’m going to guess that most parents out there have had a copy of Dr. Suess’ beloved “Horton Hears a Who” floating around the house at one point or another. If you haven’t, I strongly recommend it!

In the book, Horton the elephant and his microscopic community teaches us a great lesson about empathy and kindness – qualities I’d guess most parents would appreciate their kids having. It’s one of the fundamental requirements for society, after all – cooperation, community, and caring for others. It’s warm, fuzzy, and maybe a little bit bizarre. They’re great lessons for kids, right?

Which brings me to the burning question that’s prompted this post: at what age are we meant to outgrow these ridiculously childish attitudes towards cooperation, community, and caring for others?

Let me explain. I saw a post in my stream today about how Justin Trudeau has chosen to self-isolate due to possible exposure to COVID-19. That seemed like a pretty pragmatic decision to me, but the first comment I spotted was someone suggesting that he is just hiding from his responsibilities. It went on to illustrate the many ways the person felt Trudeau has failed Canadians and closed by saying that it was a benefit to Canada if he were, in fact, infected (thus unable to do his job). 

And that comment was tame compared to more than one person sharing their hopes that our Prime Minister falls into the small percentage of fatalities. I didn’t realize this sort of thing was acceptable in any forum, but I’m pretty sure he has more likes than any of my posts typically do, so perhaps I’ve missed a memo about public discourse in the digital age.

I’m cherry-picking to make a point here, but it does seem that a growing number of business-related threads are twisted into unrelated, generally political, rants. Yes, it’s fine to be angry about things that offend your personal sensibilities, but it’s not terribly productive to subvert completely unrelated conversations to vent your angst. If you’re angry about something, LinkedIn offers a fantastic platform for discussing whatever you feel so strongly about!

Are you concerned about the energy sector one way or the other? Share your thoughts and engage with people that have different opinions. Take the time to explore why they feel the way they do, and I’d be surprised if you don’t find some common ground. Do you feel strongly about immigration? Write a post! Concerned about the economy? Post it. Opinions about a politician’s decision? Thoughts on how to deal with Coronavirus? Feelings on the NHL season being suspended? Post, post, post!

Let’s take a moment to reflect on why we’re here (i.e. on LinkedIn AND in the larger philosophical sense). We’re here to share ideas, to collaborate, and to develop ourselves and each other. Whether you’re concerned about society at large or building your personal network, there’s a common thread.

Essentially, my plea here is to keep the discourse on topic and civil, if kind and respectful is too much of a stretch.

See, for every opinion we may have, someone else has just as valid a reason to believe the exact opposite. And having that opinion doesn’t make them an idiot, a sheep or any of the other labels that may spring to mind. Their circumstances have led them to form an opinion that differs from ours. So instead of dismissing it, there’s a great opportunity to learn about it. What the heck makes them think that X is so good (or bad)? And if they’re obviously wrong, perhaps there’s an opportunity for us to educate them! And maybe…just maybe…our own views might soften a little in consideration of their arguments.

Do you disagree? Awesome! Let me know where I’ve missed the mark, and let's start the conversation. My guess is we'll both benefit from it.

But if you do, do it nicely, please.