At the beginning of December, Dean Phillips, a Democratic candidate for New York’s 23rd Congressional District, hosted his first town hall meeting in Watertown, New York. Unfortunately, it did not go as planned. Instead of addressing constituents’ questions and concerns, Phillips seemed to gaslight the audience during the heated discussion.
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation where someone tries to make someone else doubt their own reality and perception of events. It is a common tactic used to psychologically control or manipulate another person.
At the town hall meeting, Phillips discussed a number of topics, including immigration, healthcare, and gun control. During his speech, some audience members began to question Phillips’ stance on certain issues, which led to a heated discussion.
At one point, Phillips responded to a question by asking whether members of the audience had “read the stories”. When the audience members tried to explain further, Phillips said “I did not say you did not read the stories” and refused to answer any further questions. This response from Phillips was perceived as gaslighting by some audience members, which caused many to become frustrated and confused.
Despite the tense atmosphere, the town hall meeting ended on a positive note. Phillips “called for a change in tone” and for the audience “to look past our differences and see our commonalities”. He also said that he wanted to be a leader who could “bridge the divide” and encourage meaningful conversations.
It is clear that there is a great deal of division in America today, and it is not easy to bridge the gap. Dean Phillips’ town hall meeting demonstrated how things can quickly become tense when people disagree and how difficult it can be to recover gracefully when faced with difficult situations. It is also important to note that gaslighting is not an effective way to handle disagreements—it is manipulative and only serves to further divide people.
It is up to each of us to take responsibility for our actions and to be mindful of how we handle disagreements. If we can learn to engage in conversations with respect and empathy, then perhaps we can bridge the divide and work together to create a better future.