"The more we listen to those who experiences and perspectives are unfamiliar, the more we realize what draws us together"
I think what Loeb is saying is that each of us come into a situation looking at it through a different perspective, but that we need to be open to learning from someone that views a situation differently. For example, we might all be coming together to fight toward ending homelessness, but the reasons that each of us are here are all different and all have to do with our own personal experiences and perspectives. That means that one person's personal experiences are unfamiliar to another person, and vice versa. However, this is a good thing because each of us brings different ideas and solutions toward this one common effort, and when we all listen to each other and pull our ideas together great things happen.
I think the example from the book that best fits this is the story about Hazel Wolf, an atheist. She holds a conference of environmental groups, church associations, and Native American tribes. When she first meets one of the Indian leaders, it would seem that they have nothing in common because both of their personal experiences with religion is different, but they instantly become friends. They worked together to block a dangerously sited oil port on the Washington coast, and continued to work together even after that issue.
One particular example I can think of when I put myself in an unfamiliar situation was just today at school. I went to listen to a speaker by the name of Azra Hussein talk about the Islamic culture. This is something that I was very unfamiliar with. She is a Muslim living in America and she was talking about her culture of Islam and her faith of being a Muslim and how they influence her American life. It was a great message, and I learned a lot. She used personal experiences to show the audience her own perspective on the topic, and she also demonstrated the similarities all Americans share by having the unique cultural experience that we do.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I like your thoughts. It makes you think, whether you are or arnt religious, could you imagine living like that? With a prejudgment to who you are, what you will able to do? Its a scary world filled with scorned people.
But good writing definitely. I appreciate the chance to comment your post.
-Jeremy
I have to agree with the whole perspective thing for one simple reason...I am a teacher. One thing that they have taught us over and over again is that learning disabled students perceive things differently than other students. The students can only see what it is they are seeing, and nothing else. In order to get people to see things the same way as you is to work with them, and teach them what it is you are seeing. And while they may never see it the way you do, at least they will see where you are coming from.
Post a Comment