Discussion: how to ensure democracy and dialogue in society

Your exam question asks you to discuss how to ensure dialogue and democracy in society. You must use Jacinda Ardern’s “Harvard Commencement Speech – Democracy, disinformation and kindness”, and the video “We Need Difficult Conversations, Simon Sinek” as sources of inspiration. 

You can begin by saying that Ardern encourages dialogue and sees it as necessary in a democracy. This means that discussion, even among people who do not share the same views, is fundamental to a democracy. Therefore, Ardern advises against blocking out people who do not share your opinion. Such isolation may pose a threat to democracy because it can lead to more extreme views which will remain unchallenged. Ardern suggests that a way to prevent extreme polarization of opinions is to ...