The Whiteboard Jungle: Less listening is involved in today’s political discussion

In the 1950s, a plethora of science-fiction films filled America’s theater screens. Fears of aliens from other planets attacking Earth struck a nerve in people’s psyches. The metaphor was obvious: those not like us, be it of a different religion or ethnicity, were aliens. Even the term “illegal alien” was the phraseology used years before “undocumented worker” took root.

But after last week’s election, what has become clear is that the “alien” may be our next-door neighbor.

The half of the country who voted for Hillary Clinton can’t grasp how someone could have voted for Donald Trump, and those for Trump can’t get why someone would vote for Clinton.

Neither side should feel very good about the pulse of America.

We all thought that the 2000 election was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Now, we have this.

Trump’s inauguration come Jan. 20 may become a huge disruptive demonstration with riot police in attendance. No matter if your side won or not, as Americans, we will all lose.

As a voter who did not support either major party candidate for president, it’s troubling to see the country divided. It wasn’t divided four years ago when the same people who voted for Trump this year voted for Obama.

How could a country who put the first black president in the White House be the same country that elected the most inexperienced person to the highest office in the land?

It is a question that continues to fill hours of TV and radio talk shows. One thing is clear: people no longer wish to hear what those with differing views have to say.

In today’s social-media climate, where all one has to do is post comments anonymously as a way to express what’s on one’s mind, listening is not part of the equation.

And it is the most difficult component in language arts for students to grasp. More so today due to the decline in real face-to-face communication.

Kids today have fewer playdates and more anonymous “friends” online. Even when they play with friends in person, it is usually to play a video game. Everyone brings a device and, in silence, a room of children demonstrate the opposite of the word “interaction.” Similar to any Starbucks in America.

“60 Minutes” did a piece on the lack of decorum when they filmed focus group pollster expert Frank Luntz asking how voters felt about the presidential race on the eve of election day. Luntz noticed in recent years how the tone of communication has turned acrimonious. Whereas in the past, a person would patiently sit and listen to someone speak, now that individual is more likely to interrupt the person talking and even insult him. Call it the “shut up and hear what I have to say” syndrome.

And this type of one-way dialogue can be evidenced in media programming daily. This is not discourse, it’s disruption.

People shut themselves out from the world by having a phone in front of their face and headphones in their ears. The message is clear: “leave me alone.”

When students come to talk to me during lunch or after school, I have to ask them to remove their earbuds — both of them — before I have a conversation with them. I want to make sure they hear me sans soundtrack.

Here’s hoping Trump listens to others. It is an essential quality of a good president, especially one presiding over a divided nation.

With many anxious about the country’s future, it brings to mind a funny moment in “Back to the Future” when Marty, recently arriving in the 1950s from the 1980s, informs Doc that Ronald Reagan is president, and Doc incredulously responds, “Then who’s vice president — Jerry Lewis?”

Actually, Lewis would not be so bad right now.

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BRIAN CROSBY is a teacher in the Glendale Unified School District and the author of “Smart Kids, Bad Schools” and “The $100,000 Teacher.” He can be reached at briancrosby.org.