Purple Lunches

As Election Day draws near, the polls show a toss up for the new President. Despite my warnings to friends and reminders on social media, many voters have already decided for whom they will vote.  The problem with that is the brain will limit new information that could cause a change of preference.  "Confirmation bias" is making up one's mind first; then scanning for data to justify.

It's still too early to think in black and white.  A better way is to "think gray."  This means to not make up one's mind until necessary...and that is not until the day before Election Day.   Keeping an open mind allows data, including contradictory info, to be factored in if it is true.

My advice is to break out of partisanship and a good way to do that is to have a civil discussion with someone for the other candidate.  If you're Blue, invite a Red to lunch and vice versa.  Make it a purple lunch.  State your case for your candidate then listen, LISTEN, to the counter arguments across the table.  You might be surprised that you have overlooked salient facts.  Or perhaps your priorities have shifted since you made your (too soon) candidate choice.

The most important reason to do this, though, is because of post-election.  Half the country will be disappointed in who's elected.  The other half will have a brief spurt of euphoria and triumph, but it will be washed away as the new person in the Oval Office does not honor campaign promises.  Here is the main point: After the election, it will take all of us to prolong the American experiment.  We have to learn to get along with people with whom we disagree.  The strength of democracy is diversity with unity.  E Pluribus Unum.  "From many, we are one."  Get started now. #purplelunch