Enlightening the debate
EDINBURGH HAS historically been the setting for a wealth of debate and discussion. The influence of the Scottish Enlightenment has been far reaching and can be seen clearly in the writings and legacy of the likes of David Hume and Adam Smith. Our city played host to these titans of intellect who were able to learn from and challenge each other’s ideas through rigorous debate and civil discourse.
This historic ability to have civil discourse with our ideological advisories that has allowed Edinburgh to have a disproportionate influence on the construction of what we recognise as modern civilization.
However, we are increasingly seeing a level of nastiness between competing political sides that is stunting our ability to disagree in a healthy and constructive way. One need only read the accounts of Sarah Smiths experience as a journalist in Scotland to understand the attitude towards those who do not share our exact convictions.
We seem to have lost the ability to interact with opposing views in a cordial and respectful manner and instead attribute negative or malicious intentions to the person who holds them.
We have to get back to a place where we can disagree in a way that does not turn our opponents into villains or untouchables. We must all work to turn down the temperature and return to the level of civility that has fostered Scotland’s historic success. If we want Edinburgh to be a melting pot of ideas, we have to ensure that we do not allow that pot to boil over.