With the unease of the social climate in the United States being a weight on the shoulders of many Americans--I find that having a civil discussion with anyone, rather than a heated debate is nearly impossible. As the nation has been dwelling in a dichotomy since campaign season, finding common grounds to discuss frustrations, hopes, concerns, enthrallment, or displeasure of any sort, is nothing short of a miracle. In a time where the stakes are high for the nation regardless of which political party you support, I implore you to make an effort to step outside of your own perspective and listen to the concerns of an opposing voice around you. I admit this is not an easy feat. It requires finding someone honest, creating an environment that anyone included feels safe, and genuinely wanting to learn more. But the perspective gained is well worth the potential awkwardness you may face.
As a member of a community in which a majority of the population identifies as some variation of left-wing, it was difficult to find a member who openly identified as otherwise. Admittedly, even members of the group I identify with are extremely defensive about their beliefs, which is fine, but it made members of the community who identify otherwise unwilling to contest to their beliefs out of fear of being shamed. This is an issue we should be truly concerned about. The inability for a vast majority of the United States population to have a productive conversation, encompassed with empathy and the desire to understand the viewpoints of others, is making finding common ground a mirage in the distance. In order to resolve the many differences, biases, and inequalities plaguing our nation, we need compassion on the most basal level.
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When I was able to find a community member willing to attest to their beliefs which were contrary to mine, it was difficult to begin to have a truly open dialogue. But hearing that we shared many views in common was a relief, as well as a shock, the difference in our beliefs was what we think the solution would be. When I was able to listen to the thought process I was frankly surprised to hear that their logic was not wrong, just different from my own perspective and views based on my upbringing. I still do not agree with them- but I wasn't able to condemn their thoughts.
Listening to another gave me a moment to step outside myself and really listen. But what the conversation really lead me to, were conclusions about our society as a greater whole, that may seem really obvious to some people. Our society is lacking in many departments: compassion, altruism, empathy. It seems as though somewhere along the way- we forgot that the person we pass on the street has a whole life separate to ours. We are somehow blinded by exterior characteristics of the people around us: race, religion, nationality, sexuality, ability, etc., have put people other than ourselves and our immediate people in our life in a box. To step back a moment and put some of our prejudices in a very general perspective- isn't it odd we (as a society) think lesser of a group of people because of how much melanin they produce, or the god they worship, or the clothes they decide to wear, the person they love, or where they were born? To me, it seems unfathomable that we can put individuals into a box based on things that are out of their control. It's unfathomable that we use differences to separate individuals from our own experiences rather than wanting to learn from them. It's incomprehensible to me that there can be so much fear of another group or person when we are unwilling to try to understand their perspective or spend a day in their shoes.
The idea that empathy is lacking in our nation is not a new one, but what we can do to resolve this is at least try to understand others' perspectives. While there is no way to fully understand the perspective of another because we cannot experience their life as them, and we weren't present for their past, the key is listening, and gaining knowledge of experiences other to our own. The other important idea here is that listening to others different from you is not for the purpose of changing your opinion: conservative, liberal, or otherwise. It is acceptable to keep your opinion, it's even fine to disagree with someone- but learning about another aims at the goal of finding solutions to issues that benefit both parties. While there isn't always an equal compromise, it makes it more feasible for both parties to get some of what they want rather than radical decisions that only benefit one party or worse are a detriment to one party.
If I can leave one message out of this messy article is to listen to thy neighbor. Put your opinions, prejudices, and predispositions aside, and listen to the concerns of another person. Don't side with them--but try to comprehend their logic as to why they are concerned. Empathy, compassion, and understanding are the keys to rejuvenating our social climate in the United States.
