Don’t condemn but encourage

Tuesday 17th August

We probably get more aggressive when we look less likely to win an argument. When no one listens, when everyone ignores you, you get angry. It’s a last resort to clinch the deal, when we sense we’ve already lost the argument. By not getting angry we can take time to plan a strategy, and a strategist will bide time and take the longer way round. They won’t weigh in, arms flailing, voice agitated but make themself available and accessible. If we seem a little on the nose it might make us uncomfortable, but better that than resorting to fear to communicate what we want to say. That really turns people off because it’s stupid to throw weight around without the recognised authority.
Vegans would be better off making positive judgements about people whenever they can … along the lines of being observers, watching our society growing up, albeit very slowly. You never know just how close someone is to doubting the conventional wisdom. We only need to light dark corners – it’s a long way from the business of cutting people down.
We’re seed planters (in more ways than one). After all, the world is dying for the want of positive encouragement, so surely we should be encouraging good intention and praising moderate achievement. We do it all the time with kids over their maths homework so why not with fellow adults, in their ethical development?