So if you substitute VACCINATED and UNVACCINATED for meat-eaters and vegetarians, and substitute sharing a kitchen with working together, what do you get?
That’s our challenge.
Substitute so-called “CLIMATE ACTIVISTS “and so-called “CLIMATE DENIERS ” for meat-eaters and vegetarians, and sharing a kitchen with working together and sharing the planet……….
That’s our challenge.
And where does Psychotherapy come into this?
If we use psychotherapy to pathologise, to apply labels of mental illness to those who disagree with us, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
If we apply what we know to help us understand that the reason underlying our inability to work together with people with opposing views is that we’re largely motivated by FEAR, and that this fear is in the most part a result of trauma, WE ARE ON THE WAY TO FINDING A SOLUTION.
If we are able to recognise that unresolved trauma plays a major part in the way that all of us, or the vast majority of us , treat ourselves and others, WE ARE ON THE PATH TO COOPERATION.
Are we willing to reflect upon this?
Instead of attempting to convert others to our points of view, are we willing to do our best to truly understand and empathise with people whose views we consider as incompatible with ours?
Are we willing to consider the suggestion that, ultimately, we all want the same outcomes, even when we have seemingly incompatible views as to how to achieve these outcomes?
And the challenge for me as I write this, is to consider that the people who hold the belief that what I’m saying is wrong and untenable have as much right to their beliefs as I have.
And that requires me to empathise with these people even though I believe that they are in fact leading to outcomes that are the very opposite of what we all want.
That’s the paradox, and, for me, that’s the greatest challenge.
PLEASE NOTE: Empathy does not mean agreement.
It means having the ability to step into someone else’s shoes and see the world through their eyes.
Just like when an actor plays the part of a villain. This requires empathy on the actor’s part but not agreement.
I came across recently the statement of an actor who is playing the part of a fascist dictator in a movie. The actor stated he was having a very hard time playing this part.
Empathising does not mean agreeing – in fact we can empathise with something and someone that we find intolerable, cruel and dehumanising.
It does not justify the actions of the people we empathise with. Absolutely not!
I hope this makes sense. it’s important to be able to empathise with both sides of a conflict, as this increases our chances of finding a way through this horror.
It does not for one fraction of a second take away the need to condemn and take action to stop abuse, bullying, cruelty, genocide, violence, and war.
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Donald Marmara is the creator of Core Development, a process of emotional learning based on his professional training and 40 years experience in Somatic Psychotherapy, Counselling and Structural Dynamics.
Donald currently maintains a Somatic Psychotherapy practice in Sydney, Australia.
PLEASE NOTE: Empathy does not mean agreement.
It means having the ability to step into someone else’s shoes and see the world through their eyes.
Just like when an actor plays the part of a villain. This requires empathy on the actor’s part but not agreement.
I came across recently the statement of an actor who is playing the part of a fascist dictator in a movie. The actor stated he was having a very hard time playing this part.
Empathising does not mean agreeing – in fact we can empathise with something and someone that we find intolerable, cruel and dehumanising.
It does not justify the actions of the people we empathise with. Absolutely not!
I hope this makes sense. it’s important to be able to empathise with both sides of a conflict, as this increases our chances of finding a way through this horror.
It does not for one fraction of a second take away the need to condemn and take action to stop abuse, bullying, cruelty, genocide, violence, and war.