Thanks for this thoughtful article, I will have to look up the books by Warner and The Arbinger Institute. I am not overly religious but I was thinking of the words, judge not lest ye be judged, while reading this. Also,
Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and look, there's a log in your eye?
Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Excellent...I look at the impartial spectator within me all the time. And I’ve come to not judge individuals whose views are different from mine...and I move on.
Ironically, the piece you link to which reports that nearly half of college students favor death for "hate speech" is headlined "College students turn more liberal, OK speech death penalty." I could have sworn that the word "liberal" didn't include advocating death for disfavored speech, but times change.
It's frustrating, when it's very clear that failure to self-examine is at the root of many or most of the world's problems, that it's impossible to force anyone to let go of their way of thinking, crazy or not. The best thing any of us can do, I think, is to tend our own garden, to heal our own wounds which hold us back from interacting lovingly with the world. We can also share hints, as you do, as to how to find that path.
Thanks for this thoughtful article, I will have to look up the books by Warner and The Arbinger Institute. I am not overly religious but I was thinking of the words, judge not lest ye be judged, while reading this. Also,
Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and look, there's a log in your eye?
Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Excellent...I look at the impartial spectator within me all the time. And I’ve come to not judge individuals whose views are different from mine...and I move on.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah Barry, Mike
Ironically, the piece you link to which reports that nearly half of college students favor death for "hate speech" is headlined "College students turn more liberal, OK speech death penalty." I could have sworn that the word "liberal" didn't include advocating death for disfavored speech, but times change.
It's frustrating, when it's very clear that failure to self-examine is at the root of many or most of the world's problems, that it's impossible to force anyone to let go of their way of thinking, crazy or not. The best thing any of us can do, I think, is to tend our own garden, to heal our own wounds which hold us back from interacting lovingly with the world. We can also share hints, as you do, as to how to find that path.
Thank you Barry for a powerful piece that strikes at the heart of the matter. I share the following in support:
LIFE UNBRIDLED
Seeing beyond our frozen fears and imagined needs lies another realm,
a realm unrivalled.
Seeing beyond our beliefs, opinions and judgements,
of being right and making others wrong, is another state –
a state of wisdom and common sense.
Seeing beyond anger, violence, murder and mayhem –
our inner peace and equanimity reside.
Seeing beyond racism, nationalism, communism, capitalism, socialism – freed of all isms –
we live unhindered by our conditioned minds and hardened hearts.
Seeing beyond acceptance and tolerance is another world –
a world of kindness and understanding.
Seeing beyond theology, philosophy, science and certainty –
a life of openness exists.
Seeing beyond our need for more, better, different –
we discover satisfaction with what we have.
Seeing beyond our alcoholism, drug addiction, gluttony – all forms of self-harm –
we see what is and wake up.
And yes:
Seeing beyond our crimes, arrests, trials and incarcerations –
a pure heart is beating.
Seeing beyond all conflicts, wars, dominance, and control,
or simply a couple lost in their day-to-day disagreements –
our innate desire for peace remains.
And finally:
Seeing beyond this story, your story, their story – every story ever written or told –
our life is unbridled.
And there, before our lifelong accumulation,
an all-embracing warmth melts the edges of division,
dissolving the illusion of you and me, of them and us.
Our true self revealed – humanity’s innocence understood – the unknown embraced.
This internal, eternal universe is home – is love.
Our mind’s at peace, a new reality seen, a life fulfilled.
Our life of decency creating a world of Possibility.