Over the last several months we have experienced a fair amount of conflict. The presidential election in the US and other elections globally ignited a lot of anger and fear. Social media provided a focal point for much of this, fueled by corporate media and internet click bait.
I’m sure most of us found ourselves reading things that validated our viewpoint or served to increase our emotional reaction toward others. We all saw friends angering one another, unfriending/blocking people on social media or assaulting one another with articles and arguments that “proved our point”.
How many times did you make an honest effort to try and understand the other side?
Did you make a real effort to read viewpoints from those that you disagreed with?
Without pre-judging?
I’m not suggesting that anyone needs to change their views or that anyone was wrong. My point is that we missed an opportunity to learn and grow through the process.
No matter which candidate or ideas you supported, there is always an opportunity to expand and learn more. Through our interactions with others we can expand and grow if we choose to open up to it. Everyone and everything can be your teacher if you allow it.
If we have decided in advance we have nothing to learn, then the opportunity is lost. We are powerless at that point because there is no longer opportunity for change or progress. Inner and outer progress is halted because we have shut it down.
Now it seems most of the discussion is about who is to blame or how bad/good it will be next. Everything is relative. There are no absolutes. However, what we choose to do next is more important than trying to place blame or judgment on the past. It’s over.
Now what are you going to do?
This is what really matters. How we chose to respond to events, versus reacting to events. So maybe you really do feel that a government representative may cause harm. Are you going to be able to have an impact if you simply spew anger at or toward anyone that disagrees with you? No one is going to change their mind if they do not feel heard or valued.
When we come at people from a purely emotionally reactive space, we will get a defensive response. There is no dialogue to be had and we further serve to entrench people's positions. They close down and double down on their insistence they are right and you have nothing to teach or share with them.