Member-only story
From Attack to Empathy: Practicing Humility and Impartial Witnessing on Social Media
All social transformation starts with personal transformation.
The next time you find yourself about to attack someone on social media (because they are oh-so-wrong), ask yourself,
“How can I respond in a heartfelt way with humility and understanding?”
Once you have your answer, I challenge you to express it to the other person.
Then, practice “impartial witnessing” — meaning, don’t allow your ego to anticipate or need a reply. The other person might not be ready to respond in the same way as you did — if at all.
If they respond with anger or go on the attack, again, ask yourself the question above, “How can I respond in a heartfelt way with humility and understanding?”
If you cannot respond with a gentle question or response, your next best option might be silent listening. This is not silence in the sense of not speaking up. Instead, this is silence practiced as a form of impartial witnessing, of being open to understanding the other person’s beliefs, values, and morals, and as an equalizing practice.
