A wonderful message was offered in Music and the Spoken Word (a broadcast from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) today. It speaks to the debate raging across America, and of our biases. Too often, we have blind spots in our thinking, and it helps to speak to others, who see things differently, and thus we help each other overcome our blind spots. But, in speaking with each other, too often we speak past each other in monologue, not dialogue, not really listening, just speaking our message and not paying much attention to the other person.
I don't know that anyone has offered a more thoughtful, reasoning, calming message on what is going on than is in this Music and the Spoken Word. I don't know that any better direction on what we should do is being offered. Go to the 17:15 mark. Lloyd Newell speaks till about the 20:15 mark. That is only three minutes and you will reap some wonderful thoughts for what is going on in our world. The link is at the bottom. But, if you would prefer to just read what Lloyd Newell says, here it is:
Anyone who has ever passed a driving test knows what a blind spot is. It’s that troublesome area just outside your field of vision that can make changing lanes dangerous. No matter how you adjust your mirrors, you can’t truly drive safely unless you’re aware of and account for your blind spot.
We all have another kind of blind spot. One that has nothing to do with driving, but it can be just as dangerous. And if we don’t account for it, we could seriously hurt ourselves and others. The truth is, when we look at life and at each other we don’t see the complete picture.
Unavoidably, biases and preconceptions form over the years and they can keep us from fully seeing, understanding and connecting with another. For example, when we see someone who looks different from us, what do we think? Do we make assumptions based on limited information?
So often we think we’re talking to each other, when we’re really talking past each other. We carry on monologues, not dialogues. We make judgments, not connections.
The good news is that even though we all have blind spots, we can all overcome them. As with driving, the first step is to acknowledge that blind spots exist. To stop assuming that we can see everything there is to see. We share life’s highway with many other drivers and no two are exactly alike. We all have been shaped by our history, background and experiences. To travel safely, we need to travel together.
Maybe the best way to check your blind spot is to reach out to someone who has a different view, who sees things you don’t, and then listen without judging. Recently, the leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a joint statement about racial harmony. Demonstrating that we see more clearly when we look together. They wrote, “unitedly we declare that the answers to racism, prejudice, discrimination and hate will not come from government or law enforcement alone. Solutions will come as we open our hearts to those whose lives are different than our own, as we work to build bonds of genuine friendship, and as we see each other as the brothers and sisters we are — for we are all children of a loving God.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eImAbuhUu-A&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3pCo8NG0rPGK3qpHshxqW18Vlm9q7u_fUz7zxLAig1joeDnIo5q7FcRRw
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