CLARKSON Clarkson Lawson

Hi there, found your podcast from Instagram and I love the content. I’m Male, Middle class, and white(yes copy paste white boy) socially liberal fiscally conservative. I grew up in the south with a loving family. Mother is southern Baptist in the medical field, father is an agnostic blue collar worker. They brought me up to never make judgements about people cause they might surprise you, which has happened. I have a wide friend group of bi, gay, & straight people, and I have a hard time giving my actual opinion with anyone in that community that I’m not directly friends with say in an office setting or otherwise public setting. I almost always, not every time but more often than not, get the “Your white and straight you have no right offering an opinion on our topics and community”. I have learned to just be silent even if they ask what I think I just say, “I don’t have an opinion” which sometimes angers them anyway. My question is if you have a good way for someone in my position to chime in without being called phobic or some other slur. Or is there just no point anymore, and I should just stay silent, because it feels like it. Thanks again for your content, absolutely love it.

I appreciate what you are trying to do here, as a society we’ve lost all common ground and the ability to critically think. I feel like it’s literally tearing the country apart!

I’m a politically moderate bisexual woman.
I am from the south.
I’m married, white, middle aged, and have kids.
I also have a bunch of tattoos and drive a Subaru.
People think they know who I am by looking at me, or my demographic, but that’s so reductive and it’s part of the problem.

I should be able to fit in anywhere and get along with everyone! But, alas, the opposite is true.
Left, right, gay, straight…whatever.
They ALL hate me 😂
I have no “team”.

I think all issues have more than two sides, and I believe there’s immense value in listening to and considering opposing views. We used to value honest debate. Societal and political issues are complex and often gray areas that can’t be resolved by screaming “I’m right, and you’re wrong!” And then proceed to stick your fingers in your ears and refuse to listen to anything else.

These days it is really easy to get caught up in an echo chamber, and to believe your ideas are the only way!! And the media pushes their narrative from the left and the right that those who disagree are “the problem” and they’re vilified. It’s so stupid and dangerous.

People are so much more than who they love, how the live, and who they vote for.

I appreciate that you’re giving your thoughtful and heterodox perspective on all things you believe are important. It feels like we’re living in a circus and devolving into chaos. It’s important to have intelligent voices from all sides to keep people engaged and thinking.
It’s the only way forward.

Thank you so much for having this platform and holding not just the radical left accountable but also the radical right. I’m a gay conservative and I have found it hard to relate to members of the community most of my life. Have you found it challenging having a debate with someone who just won’t listen and how did you navigate it?