In our hyper-divided culture, we have developed a very efficient, albeit lazy, habit. When we encounter someone with a conflicting view on local development, school policy or national politics, our brains instantly apply an invisible label. We reduce complex human beings down to a single talking point, a yard sign or a social media post.
Once someone is reduced to a label, dismissing them becomes effortless. But if we want to restore healthy discourse in our community, we have to upgrade how we look at each other. Within our Project Civility framework, this requires mastering the distinct differences between our second and third core values, Respect Humanity and Seek the Larger Story.
At first glance, they sound similar. But they serve two very different functions in a tense conversation.
Respect Humanity is about who is standing in front of you. It is the foundational discipline of seeing the person, not just the issue. When a town hall gets heated, Respect Humanity demands that you mentally separate the individual from their position. You acknowledge their inherent dignity out loud, remembering that your neighbor or family member is a person worthy of basic respect, not an enemy ...