Plato said: Be Kind: for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle. How true, right? I used to say it doesn’t matter the battle. Now I say that battle is a FEAR – a fear of losing (one’s) identity. Think about it: what else is worth a battle other than fear of losing your identity – how you view and define yourself emotionally, intellectually and physically. That fear comes out whether it’s an argument or even listening to someone with a different life experience.
Sure, people can be boring. No-one likes everyone. Yet, think of people YOU write off because their /genius/success/fascinating life story, etc. is a bit threatening.
I’m starting to think of this fear of others as a type of xenophobia since it turns into shunning, ignoring them, and even trying to put them down and make them doubt themselves. Have you been a sender or receiver or both of these actions?
Plato was (likely) referring to our internal emotional battle’s and not one’s fought on physical ground. (Or maybe he was acknowledging individual insecure fears?) Yet, doesn’t every bullet fired begin with this fear. This fear of losing identity. A fear that becomes: I’ll get you to make me feel good/better/whole, etc. etc. etc.??? Isn’t this fear being written after every mass shooting here in the USA where the shooter has felt slighted, bullied, demeaned?
Fear of losing should be listened to: whether it’s ours, buried inside that comes out in self-defeating ways.
Listening with kindness can stop fears that erupt into conflicts that are safer than expressing fear and sadness.
Choose to listen – especially when someone shares a sad, angry thought. Choose to listen and ask for information. Choose to listen and be kind, reminding others they are NOT alone!
We can all learn how to communicate with kindness. Let’s practice listening and asking questions. Let’s teach kids to be empathetic and kind! Start now with a click!
Human Nature Concepts 