often be the result of wilful ignorance and / or a belief that things are black or white and therefore anything that isn’ t white must be black. Consequently, if the other side can’ t accept such logic, it must be in the wrong.
• Such a belief that things are clearly either right or wrong leads us to think that in any situation there is a set of principles or rules by which we can make definitive judgements. But such black or white beliefs often come from a leftbrained approach or attitude which wants to narrow things down to( apparent) certainties – instead of allowing the right brain to open them up to possibilities and see that many things are actually shades of grey. This view of certainty is, of course, most easily maintained by the more powerful side.
IS THIS HAPPENING HERE TO US?
If, with a rightbrained openness to possibility, we are prepared to admit it, might we see examples in the following where dialogue and trust appear to be lacking?
• Some‘ business’ people, instead of advocating fairness, appear willing to engage in very conspicuous consumption, while their employees, from whose work their wealth comes, earn far less.
• While the majority here voted‘ remain’, the ministers in the biggest party continue to insist on pushing Brexit.
They are entitled to their opinion but in government should they also acknowledge the majority view?
Also there would appear to be a majority in favour of equal, samesex marriage, but again the biggest party has acted against this and used a petition of concern to prevent such a vote. In doing so are they continuing to uphold what might be seen to be black or white Old Testament dogma against advocates of the openness of New Testament love?
• While the supporters of our economic policy want to continue to believe that it is the right policy and is cost effective, what evidence there is suggests that it is not and that until we are prepared to question it we will never find the better policy we need.
• While departmental and council officials are supposed to be public servants, there are examples, not least at council level, of officials who seem to act as if they are the masters. It is as if they appear to believe that,
QUOTABLEQUOTE
There are some people who do seem to refuse to listen- and they will spoil it for the others because- as the Brexit and Trump votes have shown- long unrecognised and unbridged differences can fester and eventually result in unwelcome consequences.
because they have been appointed to their salaried positions, they are professionals who must therefore know more than amateurs – even if some of the amateurs actually have considerable experience and who, while not able to claim a professional status, may nevertheless be experts.
Of course not everyone behaves like that and clearly we do have some very good public servants.
But there are some people who do seem to refuse to listen and they will spoil it for the others because, as the Brexit and Trump votes have shown, long unrecognised and unbridged differences can fester and eventually result in unwelcome consequences.
And a continuing dialogue of the deaf will only serve to perpetuate that.
Where will this go if we don’ t act to resolve the deep divisions the votes have indicated and the split votes were the result of the divisions, not the cause of them?
It may be interesting to reflect that the Bolsheviks who did so much harm in Russia were so called because they were at one time in the majority.
Bolshoi means big in Russian( as in the‘ big’ ballet and opera theatre) and they gained their name because in one crucial vote they had the majority – but that did not mean they were right and it is from the Bolsheviks that we got our term‘ bolshy’ meaning argumentative, unreasonable and troublemaking.
But we don’ t have to go down the route of unresolved difference leading to conflict. Instead we can resolve to talk and it particular to listen: to be open to rightbrained possibility rather than taking refuge in leftbrained certainty.
And that leads us to the other two things suggested for times of uncertainty: looking for opportunities and being ready to take them – and in this context especially we need to find and take opportunities for dialogue.
If we can recognise where we are and where we want to be, then we also need to do things that might get us there.
Closing our eyes and ears to the situation and hoping it will go away won’ t help.
So, instead of following the soothsayers and other‘ forecasters’ in attempting to guess the unpredictable, why don’ t we follow the other New Year tradition and make, and try to keep, a relevant resolution?
Should we now resolve to be more aware of the disconnects between us and to try where we can to reduce them?
Instead of attempting to forecast what will happen or, more likely, waiting for someone else to tell us, probably incorrectly, what they think is going to happen – should we get started and, where we can, help to shape the future we want.
Of course it will not be easy but we can at least try listening instead of dictating and opening our minds rather than closing them.
We should be looking for what unites us, not what divides us, and for ways to see the other side’ s point of view.
Can we all respond to Cromwell’ s famous plea:“ I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken”?
So that is my New Year suggestion: don’ t predict, resolve and resolve to try to resolve differences because that is the way to a better future.
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