Steven Crowder’s “Change My Mind” videos are a huge hit in no small part because they provide us with some interesting insights into the mentalities of the left on a variety of different subjects.
Crowder’s methodology is simple: Take a camera and some microphones, present a hot button topic with his position pre-loaded, and allow open microphone discussions. Every episode contains various reactions to Crowder, from calm discussion to outright rage-filled screams. No matter which he gets, however, he always manages to find someone who will sit down with him and chat about the subject.
This time, however, some students were holding a protest of Crowder’s latest “Change My Mind” on building the wall, but instead of talking to Crowder directly, they stayed off to the side and refused to engage in discussion. Crowder wasn’t there to have a monologue, however, but a dialogue, and so he decided that if they won’t come to him, he’ll go to them.
When he got there he found a few interesting things. For one, a protestor calling him a racist and holding a sign that read “immigrants are welcome here: change my mind,” but when Crowder attempted to change her mind the girl continuously refused to engage in conversation with him. Crowder noted that if she’s going to hold that sign then she should be willing to engage in conversation and have her mind changed, but she continuously said she was uncomfortable and would rather not confront Crowder to his face, preferring to do so at a distance without challenge.
Another student attempted to give off the impression that Crowder’s attempts at conversation were inappropriate, and after finally convincing him to sit down at his booth, explained that perhaps he and the other students should go speak with school administrators on how they feel about Crowder’s presence.
He later denied that this was meant to be a way to silence Crowder, though did not explain how it wouldn’t.
After some time trying to get the student to explain how two sides would have an appropriate conversation, and the student just listing off things that he believes as being proper positions to have, Crowder finally got him to agree that this was a productive conversation, though the student would only say he presented himself in the best way he knew how.
The interesting part about this snippet of the larger “Build the Wall: Change My Mind” video is that it shows how unproductive things become from the get-go when it comes to how we converse. Students were immediately drawn to Crowder’s event, but chose not to engage in conversation, rather standing at a distance and hurling accusations and suggestions about Crowder’s stances and character.
It’s hopeful that at least some of the protesters walked away with a better sense of how to have a dialogue, and indeed, many of the students around the booth confessed to not agreeing with Crowder but loved the idea of civil dialogue. However, the sensationalist media isn’t likely going to cover the fact that civil dialogue was had.
The media tends to prefer and exalt protesters who resort to radical accusations and actions, as they’re the more eye-grabbing and seemingly the ones they agree with more.
Crowder’s “Change My Mind” is a welcome break from what we’re typically shown.
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