Holistic drug rehabilitation, financial crises, conservation, military spending … these are some of the burning topics facing the world today. How do we hold a healthy debate on these issues? When you state something, you take up a position. As in for and against an argument. Whatever our premise, as we develop on the theme, we become mentally involved in justifying our statement. It is this peculiar facility of the mind to justify whatever we have imagined and vocalized. Why does it occur? Well, mostly it is because we assume that those are our innermost thoughts; we assign them the highest priority because they become – to us – the manifestation of something sacred, innocent, and vulnerable in us! Something that is untouched by guile, by deceit, by commerce, and by consideration. Any guesses what such a being within us would be? Yes, the words become to us a solidification of the eternal within us. That is why unknowingly, but surely, we are ready to defend our position if it is countered. The contrary views of our debate partners towards our stated position subtly becomes an affront to our selves!
Nevertheless, only a dialogue can bring out a modicum of meaning and an understanding in to our as well as our partner’s mental make-up. The idiosyncrasies and the adamant posturing of each become quite obvious now. Oh, how could the other be so dogmatic! There emerge layers of meaning when conversation within a select group is kept open – with no judging, regulation, censoring, or even – this is the difficult part – an agenda!
The conversation should be an invitation for exploration. Concerned with the most intimate of thoughts and feelings. There would emerge definite realization of how thought is structured within others as well as within ourselves if conversation were to thus become an instrument of inquiry. Of course in an real setting it would require a moderator, only if to protect the members from perfidy. It would be an manifestation of the intelligence of creation.
For a society with empathy towards the multifarious issues that face the world today and a better understanding of their effects visit
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