It happens that we at the editorial office get angry emails. Sometimes I ask the person who wrote to call.
A real conversation can often give more nuances than a few lines in an email.
Some such calls linger.
Like this conversation with the pensioner, who thought that pensioners could "hate" a little in the flow of social media, without having to risk being notified.
We are not dangerous to anyone, he reasoned. Many of us are alone and have social media as the only contact with reality outside. When you feel frustration and wonder where the community is headed, you have to swerve and bark a little in the flows. It's a valve, he expressed.
It was a long conversation about alienation, loneliness and the feeling of powerlessness of the man who called.
He also listened to my perspective. Listened to the uneasy feelings that may arise from the editorial head, reporter or interviewer who is met by hatred, without really knowing who is behind the harsh words.
That behind every report, behind every interview - there are real people and who should be treated with the same respect in the flow on social media and in e-mails as you meet your neighbor on the street.
The conversation did not land in our agreement.
But we still met, in some general human understanding, which muted the tone.
Conversation, as a method of understanding, is also one of the thoughts with SVT's project Sweden meets.
Sweden meets is SVT's variant of a project that started on German Die Zeit (My country talks). Similar activities have also been carried out in Denmark and Norway, DR (Disagree together) and NRK (All Norway talks).
We live in a polarized era where opinions sometimes only become harsh words in the flow and on social media.
This project offers personal meetings with deeper conversations instead of quick comments.
Now this weekend people meet in several places in the country, including Falun.
There are people with different opinions matched for conversation.
It will be an exciting day.
Dare to meet someone with a different opinion is not just brave.
In conversations with others we become wiser.
/ Nina