Blog Post #1

“The first step towards non violence, which is surely an absolute obligation we all bear, is to begin to think critically, and to ask others to do the same.” - Judith Butler

During the lecture on advocacy, communication, and argumentation I felt very inspired by this quote. I interpreted this quote to mean that we are required to as human beings to always seek peace. In order to achieve peace we have to take the time to think critically and understand others. Disputes come from misunderstandings and opposing viewpoints. The only way to come to a compromise is to listen critically and find the specific thing that is causing conflict. Then you can come to a compromise that appeals to both sides and respects both sides personal beliefs.

One of my biggest challenges as a communicator is listening critically to find the specific cause of a conflict. This creates frustration and leads to poor communication. I think this quote is important and should inspire those who like me, do not have issues with violence but still need the reminder to always think critically before responding. 

I am currently taking a listening class with Professor Thomas Lobaugh. He introduced us to Thich Nhat Hanh, a buddhist monk who talks about compassionate listening. I wanted to share the video with anyone who reads my post. I believe his ideas of compassionate listening correlate nicely with Judith’s quote. His idea of compassionate listening is to allow those are suffering to empty their hearts. This will help them to suffer less and even if the person says things that are “full of wrong perceptions, full of bitterness, you are still able to listen with compassion.” In just one hour of compassionate listening there is a transformation of the spirit and mental healing that could be done through no other outlet. If we are to achieve peace then this is how it will be done. In other words, we must allow those who are suffering to fully express themselves and listen to them compassionately. This is is how we achieve peace and it is our obligation as human beings. Before correcting perceptions we must think critically and ask others to take the time to listen compassionately and do the same.