Social media, a microcosm of our need for self-validation, has made us hyper-aware of what’s happening in the world.

It has also given us a place to connect with others, share our findings, encouragement and opinions.

Unfortunately, it still has not pushed us to have real discussions. Everything turns into an argument where people shut down and become defensively aggressive.

This could actually be pointing to a bigger issue, which is our inability to listen.

We forget that listening is a skill and one that takes time to develop. Even in our face to face conversations, our listening skills can be relegated to waiting for the other person to finish talking just so we can get our turn to speak.

Our online conversations are merely transpositions of our personalities (real or perceived).

Are discussions on the Internet possible?

Only if we’re ready to actually listen and respond accordingly.