Social media has energised public debate, allowing more people to get involved in discussions about current issues. This has undoubtedly enriched the conversation, but it has also led to an increase in more aggressive and polarising comments, fuelling division and hostility, and ultimately making coexistence more difficult.
The Universidad de Verano de Adeje course Comunicación para la convivencia (‘Communication for Coexistence’) offered participants tools for public speaking, argumentation, and debate that can help foster ways of interacting that reduce this atmosphere of conflict. The course was directed by Luis Capote Pérez, from the Department of Basic Legal Disciplines at the University of La Laguna, and delivered in collaboration with communications consultant Eva María González Lorenzo and Jacobo Rafael Martín Rodríguez, the creator of the YouTube channel Nintendo Files.
“There is a lot of interest in speaking, especially on social media and in the media in general, but very little in listening, and basic manners are often forgotten,” Capote said, summing up the problem. He pointed out that this trend has been developing over time, naming the sports journalist José María García as one of the early adopters of an abrasive tone, a style later reinforced by shows such as El Chiringuito or Sálvame, which helped entrench this kind of communication online. “It’s a way of not communicating, of imposing your views—by raising your voice, shouting, or using insults—which does nothing to promote understanding.”
Debate, on the other hand, allows for opposing ideas to be expressed in a more respectful manner, with attention paid not only to what you are saying but also to what the other person is expressing—using arguments, counter-arguments and conclusions. “And when a debate leads to a situation where the only thing both sides can agree on is that they disagree, we must move into a negotiation phase, to avoid having to escalate the conflict, or at least not let it reach, for instance, the courts. The aim should be to find a point of understanding.”
This kind of “verbal fencing”, as Capote describes it, might seem outdated or even ineffective today, but he argues that we shouldn’t give in to the temptation of resorting to personal attacks. “If the idea is that if someone shouts at me, I should shout louder, then I haven’t really been persuaded,” he explained. “If we think that trying to move beyond a black-and-white view of the world is out of date, then we’ve got a problem. Because if we fall into this dynamic, who wins? The person with the biggest stick or the loudest megaphone? If you engage with certain groups using that approach, you’ll find they’ve had far more practice at silencing others using the ‘big stick’ method than you have.”
Capote also stressed that this search for dialogue to support coexistence goes well beyond social media—everyday life is full of potentially conflictive interactions: at home, with family, at work, in your community, and so on. In these settings, there may be people who are not afraid to speak up, while others go silent the moment there’s tension, preferring not to say anything. At first glance, this may not look like conflict, but Capote raises the question: “Is it really peaceful coexistence if one person talks a lot and another doesn’t dare to speak for fear of being overwhelmed?”
For this reason, the first part of the course focused specifically on overcoming the fear of public speaking. Participants also learned how to structure and deliver a speech in a logical and coherent way. Other course content included techniques for negotiation, all supported by hands-on practical exercises. The course included a presentation by YouTuber Jacobo Rafael Martín, sharing his experience of mastering communication skills that helped turn a Spanish-language outreach channel into a success with thousands of followers. “Learning these kinds of tools can be useful in all aspects of everyday life.”
Ultimately, this Universidad de Verano de Adeje course promotes communication grounded in reason rather than emotion, and, above all, respect for the other person. In that sense, Capote reminds us that even if someone is defending clearly mistaken beliefs—such as flat-Earthism or extreme creationism—it is never advisable to mock or ridicule them. “Firstly, because you’ll reinforce the views of those who already agree with them; you won’t convince the undecided; and those who are unsure will just feel uncomfortable with the hostility. You can’t do public outreach by kicking people in the gonads.”
