Within Us podcast
Thanks to Azriela Jankovic for inviting me on her podcast Within Us. Her quiet passion and sincere desire to fight darkness with light led to a thoughtful discussion about strengthening our relationships and better knowing ourselves by better knowing others.
Here are a few excerpts:
“When we listen to other people, we don’t only learn about them, we learn about ourselves -- and that helps us understand our place in the world, our place in society, and the unique contribution every one of us has to make to the world.”
“What if we actually tried to hear one another’s messages, to find common ground, so we can see where we can validate one another and pool our intellectual resources -- that’s how we build a civil society.”
“It’s reassuring to see that there are more and more people trying to reclaim the rational center -- which doesn’t mean we all agree on everything, but that we moderate our conversations, we listen, we look for common ground and ways to understand one another so we can move forward.”
“The more familiar ideas become to us, the more easily we forget them. It’s like conquered territory -- I learned that, I know it, I understand it, I don’t need to spend time thinking about -- and once we stop thinking about it, then I start forgetting it.”
“When you create a culture of respect and positivity, your people will want to contribute to preserving that culture.”
“There’s a lot of suspicion of anyone different from us. If I’m secure in my own beliefs, then I’m not threatened by people who believe differently. Otherwise, their difference makes me aware of my own insecurities.”