When Hal David died a couple of weeks ago, I found myself listening to a song he wrote with Burt Bacharach called, "What the World Needs Now is Love."
Yes, I agree, the world could always use a little more love, but what we could use a lot more of is empathy.
Just in this country alone, we find ourselves divided between red and blue states; conservatives and liberals; haves and have nots; elites and the common man. It's getting to be re-goddamn-diculous how special interest groups, politicians and the media have created narratives that have pitted people against each other. Instead of critically reflecting on issues of the day and coming together for the sake of each other; we choose to demonize each other without even considering the other person's perspective.
It's disturbing.
I once wondered if people by nature were mean, or if they were nice. Research has shown that people are neutral...and that may be part of the problem.
Being neutral allows for one to be indifferent. If you're indifferent, you less likely to seek understanding with things which don't concern you or your interests. If you're not seeking understanding, how would you then be able to show empathy?
In other words, it is difficult to show empathy to those who can do nothing for you...but easy to love those who can.
Therefore, that unemployed welfare person needs to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. But your loved one who is struggling to make ends meet, is OK with getting a loan from you to carry them over until they're back on their feet...The union that helped your immigrant grandfather get and keep a job, while excluding African Americans was great for the working man, but the the Teacher's Unions of today is ruining your child's education.
Although we will never live in a Kumbaya World, we can do better. A great starting point would be in simply learning to LISTEN!
Until next Monday...
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