Finding the good and fighting for it
We live in a broken, divided world. Tragedy, corruption, natural disasters, injustice, and discrimination abound. It’s easy to get transfixed on all the evil and become defined by what we stand against.
But being solely anti-whatever (a certain political party, a moral issue, vaccines, universal healthcare, etc.) keeps us locked into an us vs. them mentality that leads to defensive, reactive efforts.
The alternative is to find the good — what’s mutually beneficial — and begin working from a shared point of agreement. It takes more time and energy. It means setting aside our ego and relinquishing our quest to prove ‘them’ wrong.
It might solicit criticism and some might call it compromise. How dare you collaborate with ‘those people’?! Don’t you know they’re for everything we’re against? They can’t be trusted!
Empathy is the courage to ignore the naysayers and sideline critics and create connection with ‘the other side’. It’s finding what both parties believe in and amplifying the good. It means fighting together for what is good.
