A short YouTube "Kitchen Table Chat" by Sandi L. Boucher (recorded Aug 8, 2021) using a "wall metaphor" to describe how people position themselves in debates (example used: pandemic measures). Sandi describes three roles: "dancing on the wall" (actively informed and sharing knowledge), people "touching/trying to climb the wall" (wanting to learn but lacking access/resources), and those "far from the wall" (closed to discussion). She recommends focusing effort on those open to learning rather than exhausting energy on those unwilling to engage.
Chapters
So if you look at this metaphor and just imagine that this wall, it's called the wall metaphor, divides the two sides of whatever issue, the two sides of maybe the debate about this pandemic, how, how extreme do our measures have to be? Do we always have to wear a mask? Do we have to wear it indoors? All of that debate. There are people dancing on the wall, and I like to picture myself dancing on the wall that are comfortable having these conversations and stay on top of issues and stay on top of the latest news and are more than willing to inform others and share the information. That's my job. I'm dancing on the wall. And you notice how this metaphor tied into my dancing for exercise. I'm so on point today. Love it. Anyways, we're dancing on the wall. I know so many people who want to understand, who want to learn more. Maybe they don't know the resources to go to. Maybe they don't have access to the same level of information. Maybe they don't have the Internet access to go cruising around the Internet researching this stuff. Maybe they don't know what websites are reliable in some a little iffy. Those are the people in this image touching the wall or trying to get up on the wall. They're the people that are learning. And honestly, I think we all need to keep learning. Whether we're dancing on the wall or no matter what the issue is, we need to keep learning. What is really important about this image is on both sides of any debate, there are people so far away from the wall, they don't even want to talk about it. They're not open to discussing it. They're not open to new knowledge. They're far away from the wall. As my elders often remind me. If we spend all our time and take all of our energy and try to focus on the people that are so far away from the wall that they're not even willing to hear us. All we're going to do is exhaust ourselves. But if we focus on those people that are open to learning and open to hearing, we can truly make a difference and we can celebrate when they climb up on the wall with us.
