Can Google Bard AI Translate Politically Polarized Statements Using the Braver Angels’ LAPP Technique?

Braver Angels

This morning I attended a “Braver Angels” educational session about how to depolarize political conversations.

The acronym for the technique is “LAPP“:

  • Listen to understand, not reload
  • Acknowledge what you heard
  • Pivot by assessing whether it’s OK to offer your views
  • Offer your Perspective, rather the position that “they’re wrong.”

 

I wondered, can Google AI perform Braver Angels‘ depolarization technique?

Here’s a sample query:

1) Are you familiar with the LAPP Technique associated with Braver Angels, an organization working to depolarize America?

Yes, I am familiar with the LAPP Technique associated with Braver Angels, an organization working to depolarize America. The LAPP Technique is a four-step process for having difficult conversations across the political divide:

  1. Listen to understand, not reload. This means paying attention to what the other person is saying, trying to see things from their perspective, and avoiding interrupting or preparing your own response.
  2. Acknowledge what you heard. This shows the other person that you have been listening and that you respect their point of view, even if you don’t agree with it. You can say something like, “What I hear you saying is…” or “It sounds like you’re feeling…”
  3. Pivot by assessing whether it is OK to offer your views. Once you have a good understanding of the other person’s perspective, you can start to think about whether or not it is appropriate to share your own views. If you don’t feel comfortable doing so, you can say something like, “I’m not sure I’m ready to share my own thoughts on this yet, but I appreciate you sharing yours with me.”
  4. Offer your perspective (if the person has signaled a willingness to hear it). If you do decide to share your own views, be sure to do so in a respectful and open-minded way. Avoid using accusatory language or making assumptions about the other person’s motives. Instead, focus on sharing your own experiences and why you believe what you believe.

The LAPP Technique is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to have more productive and respectful conversations about politics. It can help us to build bridges with people who have different views, and to learn more about the perspectives of others.

Braver Angels recommends using the LAPP Technique in all of their workshops and events. They believe that it is essential for creating an environment where people feel safe and respected, and where they are able to listen to each other with open minds.

 

2) Are you able to apply the LAPP Technique if I give you a polarizing statement?

Yes, I am able to apply the LAPP Technique if you give me a polarizing statement. I can:

  • Listen to understand, not reload. I will pay attention to your statement and try to see things from your perspective. I will not interrupt or prepare my own response.
  • Acknowledge what I heard. I will show you that I have been listening and that I respect your point of view, even if I don’t agree with it. I can say something like, “What I hear you saying is…” or “It sounds like you’re feeling…”
  • Pivot by assessing whether it is OK to offer my views. Once I have a good understanding of your perspective, I will think about whether or not it is appropriate to share my own views. If I don’t feel comfortable doing so, I can say something like, “I’m not sure I’m ready to share my own thoughts on this yet, but I appreciate you sharing yours with me.”
  • Offer my perspective (if you have signaled a willingness to hear it). If I do decide to share my views, I will be sure to do so in a respectful and open-minded way. I will avoid using accusatory language or making assumptions about your motives. Instead, I will focus on sharing my own experiences and why I believe what I believe.

Here is an example of how I would apply the LAPP Technique to a polarizing statement:

Polarizing statement: “All gun owners are irresponsible.”

LAPP Technique response:

  1. Listen to understand, not reload. I would listen carefully to the person who made the statement, trying to understand their perspective. I might ask clarifying questions, such as, “What do you mean by ‘irresponsible’?” or “Can you give me an example of what you’re talking about?”
  2. Acknowledge what I heard. Once I have a good understanding of the person’s perspective, I would acknowledge what I heard. I could say something like, “What I hear you saying is that you believe that all gun owners are irresponsible because they pose a threat to public safety.”
  3. Pivot by assessing whether it is OK to offer my views. I would then assess whether or not it is appropriate to share my own views. If the person seems open to hearing my perspective, I might share my own experiences with guns and explain why I believe that gun ownership can be a responsible and safe activity. However, if the person seems closed-minded or unwilling to have a respectful conversation, I might choose not to share my views at all.
  4. Offer my perspective (if the person has signaled a willingness to hear it). If I do decide to share my views, I would be sure to do so in a respectful and open-minded way. I would avoid using accusatory language or making assumptions about the person’s motives. Instead, I would focus on sharing my own experiences and why I believe what I believe. I might say something like, “I understand your concerns about gun violence, but I believe that responsible gun ownership can be a safe and enjoyable activity. I’ve been shooting guns since I was a child, and I’ve always followed safety precautions.”

It is important to note that the LAPP Technique is not a magic bullet. It cannot guarantee that you will be able to change someone’s mind. However, it can help you to have more productive and respectful conversations about polarizing topics.

3) I am about to give you a polarizing statement. After I enter the statement, please apply the LAPP Technique ..

I am ready. Please give me the polarizing statement, and I will apply the LAPP Technique.

I will do my best to listen to your statement with an open mind, acknowledge what I heard, and then offer my own perspective (if you have signaled a willingness to hear it) in a respectful and open-minded way.

 

4) Conservatives say they are for limited government but what they really want is for the rich to get richer, and the best way to do that is to take from the poor and working-class people. They believe in a society of winners and losers, with the winners deserving most of the pie and the losers being blamed for their own misfortune — even though the winners usually start out with lots of advantages. Reds are basically heartless about the poor and would strip away the social safety net if they could get away with it. What amazes me is how many Americans get duped by this conservative approach to government.

 

LAPP Technique response to the polarizing statement:

Listen to understand, not reload.

I hear you saying that you believe that conservatives are not really for limited government, but rather for policies that benefit the rich at the expense of the poor and working class. You also believe that conservatives believe in a society of winners and losers, with the winners deserving most of the pie and the losers being blamed for their own misfortune.

Acknowledge what I heard.

I understand your frustration with the conservative approach to government. You feel that it is unfair and heartless, and that it takes advantage of the poor and working class.

Pivot by assessing whether it is OK to offer my views.

I am not sure if you are interested in hearing my perspective on this issue. However, if you are, I would be happy to share it with you.

Offer my perspective (if the person has signaled a willingness to hear it).

I believe that there is some truth to your statement about the conservative approach to government. Conservatives do tend to support policies that benefit the wealthy, such as tax cuts and deregulation. They also tend to favor a limited social safety net, arguing that it discourages work and creates dependency.However, I also believe that conservatives have some valid concerns about the role of government in society. They worry that too much government intervention can stifle economic growth and individual liberty. They also believe that individuals should be responsible for their own success or failure, and that the government should not interfere in this process.

Ultimately, I believe that the best way to address the problems with the conservative approach to government is to have a respectful and open-minded dialogue about the issue. We need to be willing to listen to each other’s perspectives and try to find common ground.

I am also aware that there are many conservatives who are compassionate and caring about the poor and working class. They support policies that help people get ahead, such as education reform and job training programs. They also believe in a social safety net that provides a basic level of support for those who are struggling.

It is important to remember that not all members of any political group are the same. Conservatives are a diverse group with a wide range of views. We should not generalize about them or make assumptions about their motives.

 

>> Try Google Bard, yourself: