I have been struggling with this concept of staying open minded and listening to others with different ideas to mine. Particularly when it comes to politics! I know we’re all different and that everyone is going to have their own thoughts/ beliefs about things... But what about when their beliefs harm people? How do we stand back, show respect and kindness in the face of racism? Or violence? Or bigotry? How do I build a bridge with someone when their beliefs are so wildly opposing to my own, and are harmful to others? I’ve not listened to the episode yet, so perhaps you answer this! But the question has been on my mind for some time and I am keen to hear yours and others’ thoughts ☺️
Dec 14, 2022·edited Dec 14, 2022Liked by Sarah Wilson
Couple of things about bridges... Firstly, they generally facilitate traffic and movement in both directions - which in the case of the Uluru statement would mean indigenous people meeting the 'rest of us' (what is the best word for 'us'???) over on our side too... I think there is plenty of evidence of our indigenous brothers and sisters already well and truly doing this, but it does mean 'we' (see 'us' above) may need to get 'our' house in order... I mean - have we even thought about where this 'bridge' will take 'us'.... of course we should be listening to others views on this - particularly those much more experienced (like 60,000 years more... but you get my drift), but have most of us even stopped to think about what 'we' have to say? My contention would be that most 'non-indigenous' Australians have not even the most basic of mental models of what it means to be 'non-indigenous' Australians... our culture is shallow and flaky and based mostly on BBQ's and prawns and stuff... wow... deep and historically connected and meaningful - NOT! I mean the fact that we don't even have a real word for 'us' (eg. pakeha in kiwiland) is telling... we are just 'non-others' - and i don't mean that condescendingly towards others... more of a significant self-reflection / criticism of the broader Aussie population. So my first point is - perhaps our (my) side of the bridge needs to get it's 'shit together'.... Secondly, part of getting our shit together may mean (re)forming our views (aligning our views?) around reconnection (with the natural world) (isn't this why we are crossing the bridge???) - somehow I have a spidey sense that our indigenous brothers and sisters may be ever so politely about to kick us in the bum on this.... going to be hard to 'share' this 'place' if we aint got some model of being 'on country' (using this term with very respectful nod to community, elders, past and present). Colonising the indigenous model of 'nature connection' hardly seems appropriate - so where (literally and metaphorically) might that leave the rest of 'us'... Perhaps we need to (re)-find some of our own historical (cultural) ways of connection - many, if not most, cultures have practices / spiritual models / language for connection (albeit in European models we have to perhaps go back quite a looooong ways... but it's there... just need to 'dig it out of the attic, dust it off a bit, perhaps modernise a few bits and bobs and there we have it.... of course bringing a European model of reconnection to nature to 'this' land may sound tantamount to Capt Cook arriving all over again... but again - we aint go much to bring to this bridge party at the moment!
Talk about clustering: my reading this morning is a section about charged conversations and binary biases (us vs them, right vs wrong, division by the idea of a singular truth). It’s from Think Again by Adam Grant.
I haven’t listened to the above yet, but looking forward to it. Being an American, I am not familiar with the other points, but these seem worth searching out.
Just a bit overwhelmed by all this right now. (In a really good way, I know it will settle and I’ll be able to use it as much as I can in MY life) BUT I just want to comment that the photo of the Bedouin grandfather and grand son brought me to tears with its love and beauty! And Sarah, I cry at the mention on Uluṟu Voice also. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Reading comment sections online, in the frisson of disagreement, I do like finding the ‘bridge’ moments - usually a question prefaced with ‘genuine’, and then there’s often a genuine answer. It really moves things along. I might try it more when I’m hesitating to comment (fearing lack of knowledge, or trolling)..
I have been struggling with this concept of staying open minded and listening to others with different ideas to mine. Particularly when it comes to politics! I know we’re all different and that everyone is going to have their own thoughts/ beliefs about things... But what about when their beliefs harm people? How do we stand back, show respect and kindness in the face of racism? Or violence? Or bigotry? How do I build a bridge with someone when their beliefs are so wildly opposing to my own, and are harmful to others? I’ve not listened to the episode yet, so perhaps you answer this! But the question has been on my mind for some time and I am keen to hear yours and others’ thoughts ☺️
Couple of things about bridges... Firstly, they generally facilitate traffic and movement in both directions - which in the case of the Uluru statement would mean indigenous people meeting the 'rest of us' (what is the best word for 'us'???) over on our side too... I think there is plenty of evidence of our indigenous brothers and sisters already well and truly doing this, but it does mean 'we' (see 'us' above) may need to get 'our' house in order... I mean - have we even thought about where this 'bridge' will take 'us'.... of course we should be listening to others views on this - particularly those much more experienced (like 60,000 years more... but you get my drift), but have most of us even stopped to think about what 'we' have to say? My contention would be that most 'non-indigenous' Australians have not even the most basic of mental models of what it means to be 'non-indigenous' Australians... our culture is shallow and flaky and based mostly on BBQ's and prawns and stuff... wow... deep and historically connected and meaningful - NOT! I mean the fact that we don't even have a real word for 'us' (eg. pakeha in kiwiland) is telling... we are just 'non-others' - and i don't mean that condescendingly towards others... more of a significant self-reflection / criticism of the broader Aussie population. So my first point is - perhaps our (my) side of the bridge needs to get it's 'shit together'.... Secondly, part of getting our shit together may mean (re)forming our views (aligning our views?) around reconnection (with the natural world) (isn't this why we are crossing the bridge???) - somehow I have a spidey sense that our indigenous brothers and sisters may be ever so politely about to kick us in the bum on this.... going to be hard to 'share' this 'place' if we aint got some model of being 'on country' (using this term with very respectful nod to community, elders, past and present). Colonising the indigenous model of 'nature connection' hardly seems appropriate - so where (literally and metaphorically) might that leave the rest of 'us'... Perhaps we need to (re)-find some of our own historical (cultural) ways of connection - many, if not most, cultures have practices / spiritual models / language for connection (albeit in European models we have to perhaps go back quite a looooong ways... but it's there... just need to 'dig it out of the attic, dust it off a bit, perhaps modernise a few bits and bobs and there we have it.... of course bringing a European model of reconnection to nature to 'this' land may sound tantamount to Capt Cook arriving all over again... but again - we aint go much to bring to this bridge party at the moment!
On my to do list today: listen to the Uluṟu statement and Paul Keatings thing. Happily having my horizons broadened by your writing Sarah.
Talk about clustering: my reading this morning is a section about charged conversations and binary biases (us vs them, right vs wrong, division by the idea of a singular truth). It’s from Think Again by Adam Grant.
I haven’t listened to the above yet, but looking forward to it. Being an American, I am not familiar with the other points, but these seem worth searching out.
Just a bit overwhelmed by all this right now. (In a really good way, I know it will settle and I’ll be able to use it as much as I can in MY life) BUT I just want to comment that the photo of the Bedouin grandfather and grand son brought me to tears with its love and beauty! And Sarah, I cry at the mention on Uluṟu Voice also. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Reading comment sections online, in the frisson of disagreement, I do like finding the ‘bridge’ moments - usually a question prefaced with ‘genuine’, and then there’s often a genuine answer. It really moves things along. I might try it more when I’m hesitating to comment (fearing lack of knowledge, or trolling)..