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https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_be_a_constructive_dissenter>
"So much social science research has focused on conformity, the way that
individuals adjust their behavior to match those around them, and this tendency
holds important implications for our world today. Studies find that tendencies
toward conformity begin young, with researchers theorizing that it initially
occurs as a natural part of a child’s development. But aspects of conformity
continue into adulthood, where individuals can potentially lose a sense of
themselves by adapting their attitudes, beliefs, thoughts, and opinions to
match their peer groups.
Conformity is certainly at work in today’s politics in the U.S. Divided between
two large political parties, people face increasing pressure to adopt the
viewpoints of the left or the right, which leaves out a range of nuanced ideas,
opinions, and beliefs that don’t fit neatly into one single box. And people
feel afraid to speak openly and challenge others within their own party, even
if done in healthy, productive ways. “Self-silencing” is when a person stays
quiet about a truth due to fear or in order to keep the peace and avoid rocking
the boat, but that tendency has far-reaching consequences, both socially and
politically, and can even lead to widespread depression.
For my new book,
Trust Your Mind, I spent three years exploring the emotional
undercurrents of our political landscape—interviewing scholars, journalists,
therapists, and more—to better understand what’s happening underneath all the
polarization. Self-silencing plays a role, but what I discovered is that there
are surprising numbers of people choosing healthy, positive, constructive
dissent—yet they are misunderstood and labeled as “reactionaries.” In reality,
their dissent is a testimony to their deep care for others, and their
dedication can serve as a model for healthy disagreement and encouraging people
to self-examine and communicate from a place of critical thinking and
empowerment."
Via Muse.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
