"Fight for the things you care about but do it in a way that leads others to join you"
(a triggering quote?)
Sure, many of you have heard me say this before but my experience in a wide range of “activist” groups — from “occupy” to “medical freedom” and beyond — has taught me some extremely uncommon lessons.
For example:
Regardless of where they land on the ideological spectrum, most folks would rather gain social credit for being a virtue-signaling victim than garner results by doing the hard work needed to create a diverse, sustainable community.
After all, it’s way simpler to stay united around fear than to admit you’re playing a role in this ongoing passion play.
I wanna share a couple of quotes — and doing so might prove my point.
“Fight for the things that you care about,” declared Ruth Bader Ginsberg. “But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
It’s possible that some readers tuned out as soon as they realized that The Notorious R.B.G. was in the house. Almost certainly, at least one person is right now conjuring up a long comment to inform us of what they feel are Ginsberg’s myriad transgressions.
To that, I’ll respond in advance with another gem from RBG:
“When a thoughtless or unkind word is spoken, best tune out. Reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one’s ability to persuade.”
Ability.
To.
Persuade.
Look around. The banks, the corporations, the alphabet groups, the politicians, and other diabolical entities work 24/7 to persuade us. It is their M.O. and they are typically quite effective.
What have we learned from this successful blueprint?
Not much, I’d say, because our go-to move is to make up insulting nicknames for anyone who doesn’t march in lockstep with us. (Again, this tendency transcends political opinion.)
We work harder to be “right” more than we do to change the world. It feels better to be “persecuted” for how awake/aware we are than to maintain an open mind and heart.
The temptation to be a “victim” consistently outweighs the need to, as RBG suggested, “advance one’s ability to persuade” by fighting “in a way that will lead others to join you.”
To go Biblical on you yet again, “The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.”
This means self-control, compromise, and forgiveness.
It requires soul-searching, tolerance, and humility.
Such a path is challenging, humbling, and transforming.
But the rewards, my friends, are edifying, sacred, and eternal.
Whenever we’re ready, we can trade our pride for paradise…
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Reminds me of a quote from ACIM that people would rather be right than happy.......
We are spiritual beings who chose to have a human experience on earth. We need to act more like spiritual beings than humans.