How to be Right, while Dead Wrong

A L O H A !

“ 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

  > < } } ( ° >

     

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