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Katrina's avatar

Yes - so true.

In the last 18 months, I've been writing a lot - mostly around this theme. Here's a snippet aligned with what you, Marianne, are expressing.

"Dehumanization

"The dehumanizing of those who disagree with us, through use of name-calling, judging, or otherwise labeling, is the precursor to entering into this slave-like trance of life-alienating communication. Sadly, this form of communication has become especially prevalent in social media commentary, leading to a toxicity online that most everyone has experienced at one point or another. The object of disdain is too White or too Black, too rich or too poor, too Christian or too non-Christian, etc.

"It is painfully common for conservatives to attack liberals as libertards and the other all-to-familiar pejoratives. This does nothing to create connection. It only keeps us down, while the abusive power structures which we all are made to endure continue to accumulate power and control. Similarly, the common name-calling attacks of liberals against conservatives, which start with racist and run the gamut of stereotyped enemy images, do nothing to support seeing our shared underlying humanity. They breed only contempt among people who would otherwise be naturally motivated to work toward the same basic values.

"We all want safety, security, a sense of belonging, a healthy planet, health for ourselves and those we love, clean water, the freedom to be ourselves, truth, justice, fairness, and so much more. And yet with all this name calling, judging, labeling, criticizing, blaming, and shaming, we are infighting as opposed to devoting our precious time and energy to collaborating on solutions that could work for everyone.

"Rehumanization

The only way to mend our social fabric is to return to what connects us all—what makes us all human. This can be accomplished through empathic dialogue. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) teaches that we all have the same range of feelings, and we all share the same universal needs (which could also be called heart-centered values). Where we differ is in the strategies, we use to meet those needs. Our highest work is to begin considering the needs of others, even our adversaries, and to ensure that we don’t harm others in our attempts to get what matters to us.

"We all have the same range of feelings, and we all share the same universal needs. Where we differ is in the strategies we use to meet those needs. As basic as this is, empathic dialogue is the cornerstone, and the build¬ing blocks, for reconnection, healing, and harmony.

“'The only way you can hate people is not to know them and not to see them as human. Empathy is everything.' (~ my friend Laura)"

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SUE Speaks's avatar

It's Trump's demonization of everyone who doesn't support him that's beyond shocking. I don't think there's ever has been a political candidate who has spewed out the likes of lyin' Kamala Harris, crazy Kamala, a lunatic with a low IQ, a horror show, she'll destroy our country, a low IQ individual, on and on. Republicans going so low screams to be called out, but do you see parallels coming from Democrats?

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