As we recently marked the 4 year anniversary of the Intramuralist, I was reflecting on the diversity of our interaction.
Over our tenure, it’s been suggested this blog is too conservative, too liberal, too Christian, and too anti-Christian. One person even once suggested that I wasn’t bright enough to run a lemonade stand (but he misspelled “lemonade,” so that made me feel a little better). But it’s been fascinating to me that now that we average approximately 250 hits daily, different people can read the same thing, see the same thing, and/or hear the same thing, and yet walk away with completely contrasting perspectives.
In dialogue this past week, no less, I witnessed that same dichotomous response… to the blog… to the President’s acceptance… to the Governor’s concession.
And here’s what struck me…
It was not that I heard persons praise and pan each; it was that I heard Republicans and Democrats both praise and pan the President… both praise and pan the Governor… and well, somewhat praise and pan the objectivity of the Intramuralist’s posts.
The resulting take away was not simply echoing our initial post on how and when the healing begins, as we feel differently about the election’s outcome. I gleaned instead this week that even all those who proudly identify themselves as “conservative” or “liberal” don’t necessarily feel or react the same within those identifications. They can read the same thing, see the same thing, and/or hear the same thing, and yes, still walk away with completely contrasting perspectives.
While perhaps this is no news flash, what prompts me to hone in my focus is that the depth of our division and difference has the potential to serve as an added obstruction within our nation’s need to heal. How can we move forward as one, indivisible nation under God when the differences are so deep? … when even within our people groups our perspectives are different?
This is tough question. And the reality is, I’m not sure I have all that great of an answer. I can go back to one of our initial steps to listen — to both hear and consider — but I’m not convinced that’s enough. After all, I had Rep. and Dem. friends who thought Pres. Obama’s acceptance speech was very good; I equally, also, had Rep. and Dem. friends who thought Obama’s speech was fairly awful. People who seem likeminded often still differ in their perspective.
And so perhaps, if we truly wish to heal the deep divisions in this country, we need to do a little more than (1) start now, (2) be empathetic, (3) eliminate the words “mandate” and “compromise,” (4) listen, and (5) be humble.
Perhaps in this nation of free men, as Lincoln once quipped, we need to be a little more intentional in seeking to understand the perspective of another.
Now allow me to initially add a rather significant caveat… I once heard a seemingly wise man say that he always learns the argument of another so that he can argue against it better and then magnify the illogical loopholes. Something about that approach seems dishonest — perhaps impure. My sense is we need to better understand the perspective of another not so that we can poke holes in their perspective, but rather, so that we can actually understand them… so that we can hear and “get” what’s most important to them, as opposed to allowing a wrong impression to take root in our own hearts and minds.
Yes, I believe that’s it.
In order to embrace our ‘one nation under God status,’ we don’t need to all agree on all things; we don’t even need to always compromise. But we do need to care where each other is coming from. For example, on the issue of caring for the least of these, some of my more liberal friends believe their conservative counterparts are heartless; simultaneously, some of my more conservative friends believe their liberal counterparts are ignorant of the lazy. Instead of attempting to understand the depth of those perspectives on this issue and others, we far too easily sit back, make judgments, and then “humbly” consider ourselves so much wiser.
Part 2 of the healing process is simple to state: we need to work to understand each other better. We must be intentional.
Simple to state… pretty tough to actually accomplish…
Respectfully,
AR
Great post. I, too, have been thinking on how best to move towards unity as a country. Tough problem in an age where the focus seems to be more on being “right” than what is “right.” I’m right because my candidate won and yet maybe some of the things my candidate believes are not quite “right?”
Maybe we need to “gray-up” a bit. Stop being so black and white. I know it helps me when I look at the candidates and make a mental list of what I like and don’t like. If I can realistically state some positives about someone I would probably never vote for, I have some understanding of the other side. I admire Gov. Christie for complimenting the President when he clearly does not align himself with his politics or ideologies. This same exercise works for me. My respect for those on the other side would deepen if they could clearly articulate some good and bad about their candidate. Something inside me relaxes a bit when I hear truth( no one is completely good or bad) as opposed to blind loyalty and that loosening shifts me toward the middle and a little closer to unity.
Well said. I’ve seen the exact same thing. In the spirit of loving others as yourself, doing our best to understand others’ perspectives can only help us identify our own possible blind spots.