Politics with Purpose
It is all about changing the purpose of the political conversation
In normal discourse, people are probably listening less than 10% of the time, so that their entire focus is on repeating something they read or heard somewhere, because they believe it to be on-point.
I’ve done the same thing, where based on what the other person is saying, I’m trying to remember something that I’ve read that will best contradict their statement. Most times I’m repeating my best material. I’m always proud of myself after I really hit them with a good zinger.
Of course, the reality is that they didn’t hear me, just like I didn’t hear them.
It is something I’ve often thought of……. if you do not have a primary purpose as to any action, you won’t get where you want to go.
Purposes to normal political discourse seem to be
- to change their minds
- to show how smart we are
- to humiliate, or to start a fight
Franklin Covey’s habit 5 from the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People “ says:
“seek first to understand then to be understood.”
How has any political discourse worked so far for you?
What if the purpose was as simple as;
First, listen and try to understand their views,
then and only then,
can they better hear
yours