More powerful than sitting in a classroom listening to a teacher.
or reading a text book
Listen to the story of a stranger, a friend, an enemy.
Know that your experiences, and those of the people around you, only amount to a grade school education. Anecdotes do not make an expert. There is always more. There are more stories, more lessons to be learned.
Know that statistics only tell a partial story, a poor, clouded story.
Know that the daily news has an agenda
One needs to learn another's needs, dreams, goals, struggles, suffering, joy.
This knowledge is needed for compassion.
Wisdom is fed by paying attention to life. Paying attention to the stories of others.
Compassion asks what are you going through and what can I do to help.
Listen always.
I encourage everyone to tell their stories. Know and Share their histories.
I almost think everyone has an obligation
Not for the purposes of competition or blame. Not to participate in Oppression olympics.
People should tell their stories to promote unity
To show others that they are not alone. To create kinship
To realize that we are more alike than we are different
To realize that other people share your suffering and your joy.
Always find ways to facilitate others in their story telling (education)
I'm weary of people who tell other people's stories.
This is why I love NPR. I haven't known a media outlet that allowed so many people from so many different backgrounds to tell their own story. If anyone knows of anything that compares, please let me know.
Originally posted FEB 2012
18 February 2013
07 February 2013
Power
People who control resources in a land have economic power
People with economic power have political power
People with economic power have political power
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