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LIVE SPEECH AUDIO: Using Digital Media to Save Lives

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Download Audio MP3 | 00:32:38

At the 2018 Students for Life of America Conference, Timothy Brahm gave a never-before-heard speech on social media dialogue. After the presentation, Tim answered some questions from the audience along with Josh Tijerina from Halcyon, another social media presenter at the conference who presented before Tim did. Below are listed some of the different points that he makes in the speech, in case you would like to jump around:

Problems with Conversations on Social Media:

  • 2:27: When people are in fight mode, they can’t hear you. It is not just about the arguments.
  • 3:43: Social media conversations are extra challenging because they are public, not private
  • 4:33: Social media breeds hypersensitivity to our own brand management.
  • 6:07: The structure of comment threads work against you.
  • 7:12: The “like” system influences how causal observers perceive your writing through an unfair filter.
  • 8:15: People on social media are almost immune from normal social pressures.
  • 10:07: Recent political hostility has conditioned people to be angry online.
  • 11:03: Social media is structured as an engine for constant outrage.

16 Tips for Social Media Dialogue:

  • 16:08: Move your conversation to private message, Skype, or in person as soon as possible.
  • 17:06: Make minimal persuasion goals.
  • 18:00: Be aware of the lack of nonverbal communication.
  • 18:34: Post things with your pro-choice friends in mind.
  • 19:22: Try hard to assume the best about people.
  • 19:34: Take a step back if you’re feeling defensive.
  • 19:57: Point out every piece of common ground.
  • 20:14: Try to only use neutral language.
  • 20:31: Ask lots of clarification questions, make few statements and arguments. Try to wait to do so until the conversation is one-on-one.
  • 20:48: Choose a friendly looking profile picture.
  • 21:17: Don’t name-drop philosophers or logical fallacies.
  • 21:36: Don’t feed the trolls.
  • 22:08: Use links very sparingly.
  • 22:28: Only cite neutral sources. Do not link to pro-life websites.
  • 22:36: Point out when they teach you something.
  • 23:18: Sow intentional, positive seeds with people who you hope to dialogue with someday.

Q and A with Tim Brahm and the other presenter who spoke before him, Josh Tijerina:

  • 25:25: “When is the appropriate time to use snark in dialogues?”
  • 26:39: “In regards to your point about liking pro-choice friend’s comments when you think they are being charitable or gracious in dialogue, do you think that could be misinterpreted or come off as strange to your pro-life friends?”
  • 28:01: “Have you done any studies on the effectiveness of graphic abortion images on social media?”
  • 30:01: “In tip number four, you suggest we post on social media with our pro-choice friends in mind. I am a Christian and this influences my pro-life view, so sometimes I post Christian things or bible verses. What do you think about this?”

Related Links:

Subscribe to the Equipped for Life Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Subscribe to ERI’s other podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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COURSE PODCAST CLIP: Social Media Dialogue Part 6: 7 Final Practical Tips for Overcoming the Challenges

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Every other Wednesday we publish a new episode of the Equipped for Life Podcast, available to everyone who purchases our course, “Equipped for Life: A Fresh Approach to Conversations about Abortion.” Generally, these podcast episodes won’t be available to the general public, but we plan on releasing short clips from the episodes every Thursday, to give you a sense of what these podcasts are like.

In this episode of the Equipped for Life Course Podcast, Tim, Rachel, and I finish the six-part series on how to be an effective pro-life advocate on social media. They give 7 more practical tips on argumentation.

Download Audio MP3 | 00:10:51

In these clips, we give 2 tips for how to use sources or research studies in online conversations.

Click here to subscribe to the ERI podcast in iTunes.

ERI-Dialogue-Principle #4

“I think we should accurately describe other people’s positions because it demonstrates that we care enough about them and their views to try to understand them. We should love the people we’re talking to and not just see them as an object, a mind to be changed. We should also be confident enough in our position to not be too intimidated to learn about pro-choice arguments and respond to them in their strongest form.”

For more of the context of this quotation, click here to read the full article, “Why We Should Accurately Describe Other People’s Positions.”

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PODCAST: Responding to More Questions About My “Fetus Tunnel Vision” Piece

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Download Audio MP3 | 00:06:10

This is the last in a series of three pieces that I wrote on the topic of fetus tunnel vision. The first piece defines fetus tunnel vision and gives four arguments for why pro-life people should not have it. The second responds to some concerns and complaints about the piece. And this third piece addresses more questions.

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Click here to share the original article.

Click here to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes!

Subscribe to the Equipped for Life Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Subscribe to ERI’s other podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.