Quote:
Originally Posted by curiouslyrandom  The replies that bothered me so much were phrased in such a way as to make the poster feel like an idiot, saying "I'm right and you are wrong, therefore you are going to hell, as are all these other people who don't understand the TRUTH." I find that to be offensive. Why? Because I hold my own opinions, of course. And quite frankly, making someone feel bad about something they came here asking advice for is pretty cruel and petty IMO.
I'm not saying people can't have differing opinions, just don't shove them down throats. That's all. |
There's a very cool concept called Gracious Space, created by a woman named Pat Hughes, that allows for lots of opinions and viewpoints to be expressed without a ton of conflict.
I've worked with it in numerous settings and found it to be a fairly elegant approach, particularly in groups that contain very divergent ideas. You start with the underlying assumption that the other person or group is acting in good faith and with valid reasons for his/their positions. Another key component is to listen fully, waiting until the thought is completed, rather than mentally or actually jumping in as soon as you hear something with which you take issue.