Listen Before you Speak

By Mississippi Center for Public Policy
January 30, 2017

Air Date: August 8, 2016

Listen Here

What do you think would happen in our society if we treated people with respect when we disagree
with them politically? Instead of name-calling, which is common on social media, or saying their disagreement with us is driven by hatred, what if we actually listened to them to find out why they believe what they believe?

I'll take it a step further. What if we were to accept those people as they are, and even accept their viewpoint? I don't mean we adopt their viewpoint as our own, or approve of their behaviors or their beliefs. Acceptance does not mean approval.

Accepting others is like finding them on a map. Where they're going, or what they want to do with their beliefs is important, but accepting the reality of where they are right now, and how they got there, is an important starting point for a productive discussion.

Whether it's a political disagreement, or disagreement with a spouse or anyone else for that matter, if we listen before we speak, we might be surprised to find ways we can work together to solve some of our biggest problems.

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