大象传媒

It鈥檚 the time of the year to dust off the Christmas card list and perhaps delete one or two of the names on it. Who鈥檚 been naughty and who鈥檚 been nice? Who should never have been on the list in the first place? The Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell has made the honest admission that he can鈥檛 be friends with his Tory colleagues, saying he can鈥檛 鈥渇orgive them for what they鈥檝e done鈥� to the country. And yet Tony Benn was friends with Enoch Powell. Tee-shirts with the slogan 鈥楴EVER KISSED A TORY鈥� have been popular this year, but so have those that read 鈥楨MPATHY IS NOT ENDORSEMENT鈥�. When it comes to friendship, where should we draw the line? Some believe it is morally corrupting to befriend, date or marry anyone with different values, beliefs and lifestyle to their own. For others, friendship trumps morality, and we should do everything in our power to remain friends with others, short of those who have committed an irredeemably evil act. This goes beyond personal relationships. Many have voiced the concern that hatred is infecting public discourse, where 鈥榦pponents鈥� who are 鈥榳rong鈥� become 鈥榚nemies鈥� who are 鈥榚vil鈥�. Is this the sign of a more morally-empowered society, or are we are losing the ability to debate and disagree? Do we have a moral duty to befriend those who hold views and values we don鈥檛 share?

Producer: Dan Tierney