WOW, have we not seen way too much of individuals and groups being way too loud with their opinions. All they seem to want to do is vent, never enter true discussion and never willing to listen.
Robert E. Fisher in his book Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak shares some great quotes and insights that help clarify and demonstrate a few of the undertones lying beneath the self-serving motivations behind many who don’t feel heard and choose to react instead of reflect.
“No behavior on our part is more self-centered than the demand to speak and the refusal to listen.”
“Arguing leaves the participants emotionally exhausted and mentally depressed.”
“We may feel good about our words, our intentions, and our motivation being pure but our message probably will be lost or misunderstood if we overlook how others are going to perceive what we say.”
“Interruption is basically a self-serving and egotistical act. It blatantly states What I have to say is more important than what you have to say.”
“It is said that those who are critical feel the most self-hate. It follows then that those who practice giving praise and appreciation feel good about themselves.”
The bottom line is that I need to work on myself BEFORE I ever try to rationally enter a discussion with anyone else, especially on controversial subjects. Whatever happened to “agree to disagree?” When we throw aside the intellectual thought and conversation in order to choose violence and corruption, we never accomplish our original goal and we continue to only reveal the depth of our foolishness.
True change can only come when people use BOTH their head and their heart in processing their attitude and motivation BEFORE moving into action. One of my greatest fears is that “leaders”, who truly don’t care for the well-being of the actions of the irrational, will continue to sew lies that not only take root but also handicap the same people who truly have heartfelt passions and might not know how to communicate properly. After not too long, many people will “buy the lie” and allow deception to integrate into the very fabric that makes up that individual. And instead of moving forward in authentic self-discovery, that same individual now only grows in a herd, subject to the movement of the wind and building a life upon the sand that succumbs to the storms of life.
Let’s grow in a healthy way. Let’s start by slowing down, being ONLY Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak.