By Jim Heffernan
I read a lot of books, and most of them do not affect me all that much. It’s like the words enter one side of my head and fall out the other. Sometimes a few paragraphs linger in my thoughts, not for long.
This book, “Love Your Enemies” is not one of those books. I read this book two years ago and it grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me until something came loose in my head. I haven’t been the same since and I’m glad.
Here’s the link to my review of the book, https://www.tillamookcountypioneer.net/book-review-love-your-enemies-by-aurthur-c-brooks/
I’m not going to talk anymore about the book, I want to explore the “culture of contempt” Arthur C. Brooks wants to save us from.
Because of this book, I have chosen to go to meetings of both the Republican and Democratic Parties in Tillamook County. I’m following his Rule 2 of How to Subvert the Culture of Contempt “Escape the bubble. Go where you’re not invited and say things people don’t expect.”
What goes on in the meetings is beside the point. What is striking is the underpinning culture of contempt. It doesn’t matter if they call themselves progressive or conservative. Hatred of the “other” seems the main point.
Our children face far bleaker futures than we did. Every year our debt balloons and, still, we clamor for tax cuts. Our glaciers are vanishing and each year brings bigger fires. Dictators grab territories because they can. Our attention is fragmented and our spirit is submerged in needless fear. These major problems do not rate major concern on our part. Our major worry is our distrust of the “other”.
The solutions for our problems is not going to come from above. I’m convinced our leaders are committed to maintaining power for themselves and they don’t even see us.
We have to be the change. We need to become the citizens we should be. Only then can we return power to “We, the People.”
Cornell West and Robby George are two radically different philosophers at Princeton, but they share a very popular class and are good friends. They issued a joint statement that points us in a direction that might end our “culture of contempt”.
“None of us is infallible. Whether you are a person of the left, the right, or the center, there are reasonable people of goodwill who do not share your fundamental convictions. All of us should be willing—even eager—to engage with anyone who is prepared to do business in the currency of truth-seeking discourse by offering reasons, marshalling evidence, and making arguments. The more important the subject under discussion, the more willing we should be to listen and engage—especially if the person with whom we are in conversation will challenge our deeply held—even our most cherished and identity-forming beliefs.
Our willingness to listen to and respectfully engage those with whom we disagree (especially about matters of profound importance) contributes vitally to the maintenance of a milieu in which people feel free to speak their minds, consider unpopular positions, and explore lines of argument that may undercut established ways of thinking. Such an ethos protects us against dogmatism and groupthink, both of which are toxic to the health of academic communities and to the functioning of democracies.”
Rule 1 Find your Robby, Cornel, or Frank (hypothetical friend you can disagree with and not jeopardize friendship)
Rule 2 Don’t attack or insult. Don’t even try to win.
Rule 3 Never assume the motives of another person.
Rule 4 Use your values as a gift, not as a weapon.”
As always, discussion welcome at codger817@gmail.com
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