Living Greater by finding Middle Ground

I think there's safety in being heard and understood. You feel as if whatever it is you want to be understood about matters.

Jubilee hopes to "inspire people to LIVE GREATER", by modeling for us how to engage in difficult yet necessary conversation with people of immense difference.

Sometimes the discussions are cringeworthy. Other times, they're beautiful. Always though, they're challenging:

Do I sound that arrogant? 

Am I that uncouth? 

Could I be wrong?

Here are a few of my favorites/most challenging. 

Once you humanize someone, when you're having a conversation . . . {once} I start looking at you as a person and listening to what you're saying, {I} really realize that it's not that different. We have different situations, we have different information, but we're all trying to do the best {with} what we have.

There are relationships in my life that are severed beyond repair. Yet, I wonder if that could change. If I saw others as trying to do the best they can with what they have, if I understood that their information and situation was and is very different than my own, maybe we'd be able to sit and have a discussion. Maybe we'd find some middle ground. 

Maybe.

I think you make choices, personal choices, every single day, on how you live your life and how you treat people and how exist in the world.

I think it's that people are so determined to make other people wrong.

Jeremy really bothers me. Not because he's confident or because of what he says (okay, some of it is because of what he says) but because of how he says it, and why. He isn't there to have a discussion, to refine his thinking, or to consider another's perspective. He's there to prove others wrong. 

Faith is faith because it's based and founded on faith, not facts. And in order for a discussion to happen, in order for two unlike individuals to grow and learn and find some common ground, they have to be willing to concede their omniscience. And because Jeremy is unwilling to do so, his passion, his education, and all of his credentials amount to nothing. 

So he stands outside the circle, unable to contribute a word. And when he's invited in, when he's allowed to join the discussion and be with the people, a moaning works through the group and no one hears a word he has to say.

You can watch more people try to find Middle Ground here. They're pretty great, covering topics such as:

- Pro-life and Pro-choice
- Liberals and Conservatives
- Pro-Gun and Anti-Gun

For more on . . .

The Need and Difficulty of Good Conversation

A Heineken commercial that inspires more than a drink

Fall in love in 36 questions, and two music videos

Marriage. And Race Shouldn't Matter.

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Cultural Intelligence

There is growing research and discussion about a new(er) intelligence: CQ

"Cultural intelligence (CQ) is the capability to relate and work effectively in culturally diverse situations. It goes beyond existing notions of cultural sensitivity and awareness to highlight a theoretically-based set of capabilities needed to successfully and respectfully accomplish your objectives in culturally diverse settings" (via). 

"Awareness is the first step, but it’s not enough. A culturally intelligent individual is not only aware but can also effectively work and relate with people and projects across different cultural contexts" (via).

Awareness is a first step, but being aware and doing nothing about it is almost worse. Because then it's blatant disrespect. What I like about these little blurbs though is that they doesn't say we have to agree on anything to be culturally aware. But we do need to be respectful and work hard at finding ways to relate - by embracing the cognitive friction. Which also means we need to be consciously looking beyond the single story. 

Stereotypes aren't untrue, they're simply incomplete. For all of us. Being culturally sensitive allows for stories that go beyond the superficial and offensive - that build walls. Rather, it allows for stories that builds bridges and opens doors.

You can take a CQ test here. It's okay. It's one of those tests where you know what you should say, so you say it, because nobody wants a bad score, but the questions are worth thinking about. Especially the last question.

I think this guy would score very, very . . . very low.

For more on . . .

-N- Stuff  :  Diversity  :  Stereotypes

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