"Bad money drives good money out of circulation," says Gresham's Law of Money, "when there are legal tender laws."
Imagine that you have two coins, each with a face value of $10. One has ten dollars worth of silver or gold in it. Good money. The other is made from cheap metals and has, perhaps, ten cents' worth of metal in it. Bad money.
Imagine that the government legally requires you and everyone else to accept both coins at their face value. Ten dollars. You can spend either coin for ten dollars worth of goods or services. It might seem like no big deal.
But there's a wrinkle. The government starts coining billions of dollars worth of the cheap metal money. Increasing the money supply. Inflating the currency.
The purchasing power of money falls. You and everyone else expect the government to print and coin more money every year. And the next. And the next.
Imagine that you receive $20 for work. Two coins. One with gold or silver in it. The other without. Which coin do you spend? And which do you keep?
Right! You spend the bad money. And save the good money. And so does every other sensible person.
That's Gresham's Law.
Gresham's Law only operates when there are legal tender laws. When government decrees that "this note is legal tender for all debts, public and private" -- and legally requires people to accept it.
Gresham's Law of Communication
Gresham's Law of Communication says, "Bad communication drives out good -- when both are equally acceptable."
Rude, insulting, profane, and inflammatory discussions drive out those which are courteous and respectful. Shouting and name-calling discussions drive out those that are conversational and reasonable. Talking-without-listening discussions drive out those that are open-minded and thoughtful.
We can see it on political talk shows. Hear it on talk radio. Read it on the Internet.
We spend our vices. And hoard our virtues. Because bad communication drives out good.
But there's a way to reverse Gresham's Law of Communication.
There is no"legal tender law" of communication. You do not have to accept bad communication. You do not have to accept profanity, rudeness, shouting, inflammatory language, insults or any other kind of communications you find offensive.
Conversations and discussions are based on mutual consent. You can negotiate the terms and conditions of your communications.
How?
Tell people what you want -- and ask if they will do it.
* "John, I really want to talk with you about this, but when you raise your voice, when you call me names, I feel insulted and talked down to. Are you willing to lower your voice and stop name-calling -- so I can carefully consider your arguments and evidence?"
* "Janet, I know you're passionate about global warming, and I respect that. But when you call people who disagree 'deniers,' you are putting them in the same category as Holocaust deniers. Your language is designed to stigmatize and silence them. Are you willing to stop using the word 'denier,' and show us your evidence? Will you do that?"
* "Tom, I know you feel very strongly about the Iraq War. I want to hear you out. But when you condemn the character and motives of those who disagree with you, when you loudly insult and revile them, I find it almost impossible to listen to your actual arguments and evidence. I need you to stop insulting people who disagree with you. And I need you to calmly lay out your thinking. Will you do that for me?"
You can explain what kind of language and behavior is and is not acceptable to you. Ask the other person what kind of language and behavior is and is not acceptable to her. You can negotiate. Work it out together.
What if they refuse to converse in a way that's acceptable to you? What if they continue to engage in offensive language and behavior?
Tell them what is unacceptable. Tell them why. Walk away.
Requesting, negotiation, and walking away are three powerful tools for creating good communications. For building courteous and civil conversations.
You can use them with your family, friends, and co-workers. And with casual acquaintances and strangers.
And you will begin to make a difference. As will others who do likewise.
From such small beginnings, we can set in motion a social trend of courtesy and cooperation.
You and I and others can reverse Gresham's Law of Communication.
Michael Cloud is author of the acclaimed book Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion, available exclusively from the Advocates.
In 2000, Michael was honored with the Thomas Paine Award as the Most Persuasive Libertarian Communicator in America.
Source: http://www.theadvocates.org/blog/164.rss
HENRY KISSINGER HENRY LOUIS GATES HENRY MCMASTER HENRY PAULSON
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