Reflections The Power of Suggestion By Jane Offer
There is a great social movement, based on the idea of being inclusive. Millions of dollars are spent in research and planning ideal ways to ensure the various sections and subsections of the community are treated in an inclusive manner. It appears that in the workplace, schools and society at large, there is a plethora of politically correct directives, which are constantly shifting to accommodate the speed at which our community is changing.
“There is a great social movement, based on the idea of being inclusive.” However, over the past months, the meaning of ‘inclusive’ has changed and appears to mean ‘defer and agree, otherwise, you are wrong’. Certain choices have rendered a vast number of the population to be excluded from even the very core of their life, their family. Anger and outrage have abounded on both sides, yet, from their
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Supernal Magazine
“Unfortunately, self-righteous outrage allows no time for reflection.” individual standpoints, they both feel they are correct. This raised emotional state, whether idealistic or from a fear-based aggressive stance, creates emotional responses that are triggered in the heat of the moment. Unfortunately, self-righteous outrage allows no time for reflection. Let’s face it; it is difficult enough to hear our own inner voice, so it can be almost impossible to find it when being harangued by a person’s words with which one vehemently disagrees. The result: neither listening to the other, neither agreeing with the other, nor allowing the other to cut across their own views for fear of being seen as wrong. Our impulse to reduce opposing viewpoints to nothing, often feels justified and that justification is sought wherever it can be found. After all, why would we want to check our own ideas against logic or
compassion when others validate us through similar thinking? There is no space allowed to discuss and share or come to the idea that maybe both are correct in their own beliefs. So, the slightest collective reinforcement redoubles the outrage, whether on Facebook, Twitter or from our group of like-minded people. This can be dangerous territory and will, without fail, lead to one section or another of society being vilified or oppressed. A situation is often created through hearsay, lack of information or understanding of another’s views and choices, based on life experiences from both sides. How often have we fallen under the influence of others’ beliefs simply because we just wanted to fit in or be seen as ‘one of the guys’? In our youth, this approach is all too familiar, as no one wishes to stand out from the crowd or run the risk of ridicule or, worse still, rejection. We choose to believe what we are told rather than think it
