Something to think about. At times I must sound a bit like Sophie. How? I often think that part of the difference in people with very different worldviews is because of the very different lives they have lived. The thing is, people often hear, when they should be listening. They are thinking about their response before the other person f…
Something to think about. At times I must sound a bit like Sophie. How? I often think that part of the difference in people with very different worldviews is because of the very different lives they have lived. The thing is, people often hear, when they should be listening. They are thinking about their response before the other person finishes. I am often guilty of this, but I'm working on it.
Around 40 years ago I worked a night shift as an electronic mechanic on a military base in Georgia. We had "parts changers" who changed parts for us. I spent many hours listening to an old black woman (parts changer) who couldn't have had a lower opinion of white men. She told me her stories, mostly from when she was young, which put them farther back into the bad old days than I knew of from personal experience. When I say listen, that's truly what I did. Some valuable hours of my life.
Could I learn more from a white woman? It's easy to think no, but I don't know how she came upon her views. But as you wrote, some ideas are so wrong, and bad, that they need to be honestly challenged, no matter who says them. I like to think I have something to contribute, but I've been told to stay in my lane. Maybe I'm wrong.
"Could I learn more from a white woman? It's easy to think no, but I don't know how she came upon her views"
Absolutely. In the end, I think it's just about being open-minded. I don't think we should dismiss people because of their immutable characteristics, and I don't think we should listen to people because of them either.
What does the person have to say? Can they defend their position clearly? Do their ideas point to solutions? Do hey understand their subject matter? If the answer to these questions is "yes", I couldn't care less what the person looks like.
Something to think about. At times I must sound a bit like Sophie. How? I often think that part of the difference in people with very different worldviews is because of the very different lives they have lived. The thing is, people often hear, when they should be listening. They are thinking about their response before the other person finishes. I am often guilty of this, but I'm working on it.
Around 40 years ago I worked a night shift as an electronic mechanic on a military base in Georgia. We had "parts changers" who changed parts for us. I spent many hours listening to an old black woman (parts changer) who couldn't have had a lower opinion of white men. She told me her stories, mostly from when she was young, which put them farther back into the bad old days than I knew of from personal experience. When I say listen, that's truly what I did. Some valuable hours of my life.
Could I learn more from a white woman? It's easy to think no, but I don't know how she came upon her views. But as you wrote, some ideas are so wrong, and bad, that they need to be honestly challenged, no matter who says them. I like to think I have something to contribute, but I've been told to stay in my lane. Maybe I'm wrong.
"Could I learn more from a white woman? It's easy to think no, but I don't know how she came upon her views"
Absolutely. In the end, I think it's just about being open-minded. I don't think we should dismiss people because of their immutable characteristics, and I don't think we should listen to people because of them either.
What does the person have to say? Can they defend their position clearly? Do their ideas point to solutions? Do hey understand their subject matter? If the answer to these questions is "yes", I couldn't care less what the person looks like.