If we truly valued diversity and inclusion, then we would have a preference for accepting and welcoming conflicting viewpoints We would welcome those who hold opposing beliefs as neighbors and assume they have good intentions. But we don’t.
If by some miracle, I did hone my talents to somehow approximate Wallace’s genius, my mind would still come up with another reason to not do the work, to not put myself out there, to stay safe, small.
The only necessary ingredient of your mindfulness practice is you take yourself out of the need to be productive. Take yourself out of your thoughts.
We can develop all the technologies we want. But if our motivations, beliefs, and ways of perceiving the world stay stagnant, we’ll still be the same.
We are seeing another polarization within a polarization featuring all the same dynamics we’ve come to see between the American left and right: contempt, ridicule, purity tests, an assumption of bad intentions, and blame.
The work is not in convincing those who don’t think like us to think differently. The work is in encouraging those who do to step up and act.
What necessary questions have not been asked here as both sides hurl their insults at one another?
What if not only are both compassion and consequences absolutely necessary for a functioning society, but they actually reinforce another?
If you’re getting a reaction, your message is having a resonance. That is what you want.
