Sunday, December 11, 2011

How to be Right, while Dead Wrong

A L O H A !
My Country 'Tis Of Thee by The Heritage Choir & Orchestra on Grooveshark


“ People may not remember 
exactly what you did
or what you said,
but they will always remember
how you made them
feel. ”
Tony Hsieh








" Boldness
is a mask
for fear,
however great. "

John Dryden












" There is only one judge. . .  So who are you
to judge your neighbor? "
 GOD'S WORD ® Translation

"who art thou that dost judge the other? "
Young's Literal Translation
James 4:12
Bible





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Was there ever a time
when we debated ideas?

Today
what we do
is choose sides
and attack!

We have no patience
for the details-
everything 
is a chance
to argue.

We used to try to 
convince
in good faith;
Now the most shocking assertions
get all the attention.
There is no career to be made
with common sense.

To keep passion alive,
(and reason asleep?)
  assertions need to be 
more
and more extreme.

And since we only listen
to those we already agree with
the extreme gulf in partisan views
only grows wider.

Who is building a bridge?

How can you invite agreement
with a combative, angry tone?


Our "news" &
politics is reported the same way
that celebrity gossip is,
repeating the same trivial,
school-yard stuff
over and over again
without un-packing it.
Gotcha!


So what are we trying to accomplish?


Media, pundits & radio personalities
want attention, airtime and money.

What do YOU want?

In a free society,
can either extreme win,
then rule 
their neighbors?

So what's your bottom line?
Would you rather make the best put-down
or find common ground upon which 
society
- all of us -
can move forward
together?

Do you want to be "right"
or be effective?
Merciless - or wise?

You can be technically
correct,
but the person you argue with
is telling you
what is Emotionally True to THEM,
what matters most to THEM.

Do you care enough to listen
instead of merely
preparing your 
ammunition?

Can we even really
hear each other
anymore?

Yes,
you may be "correct"
on your facts,
but be DEAD WRONG
in your attitude,
behavior,
results.



This is a Democracy -
not a winner-takes-all 
demolition derby.

Or is it?

We do not need to agree
on everything,
in order to live agreeably.

But we do need to understand
what really motivates
people
who hold opinions that seem
incompatible with our own.


To do that,
we need to regard them
once again
as
people,
not as stereotypes.


We need, in a real sense,
to 'love' our neighbor
as we do ourselves;
That is: as
basically good persons;
Persons who deserve
to be listened to.

So what is missing today?

Please share your opinion with us
in comments.

& Thanks for your valued visit.

                                                                    Warmly, cloudia