Written by Mark Eades
While walking my dog, I see a lot of walls and fences between properties, and how each property is different on both sides. It started reminding me of the wonderful lyrics from Joni Mitchell’s song “Both Sides Now” speak of love, love lost, and life. All from “Both Sides Now.” Then ends the song with “I really don’t know life at all.”
“Both sides” applies to the political and social discourse conversations happening in the country these days. Everyone is shouting out “this way” or “that way,” just to shout the other side down. The media biases get in the way and just echo those shouts. There seems to be no way to make both sides happy. Maybe it’s time to stop this discourse. How about both sides just SHUT UP and listen.
That’s right listen.
Maybe we’ll find we all have a lot more common ground.
Step back and think about what the other person is saying. Do not instantly respond like they do in the circuses that are election debates. Take the time to do some critical thinking.
When I was in school I had a few teachers and professors who would challenge me to write essays that took a point of view that was the opposite of my view. Yes, they were a challenge to write. I mean, how could anyone support that viewpoint? Yet it forced me to do the kind of thinking that maybe society should get back to.
Does that mean all opposite viewpoints are right? No, it does not, but it also helps to gain an understanding of how they came to that viewpoint. It might be the result of when, or where they were raised. What schools they went to. How they got their news. How they were exposed to political and social pressure.
So, let’s start looking at things from “Both Sides Now,” then you might end up really knowing life, and better appreciate and respect another’s point of view.
You can read the lyrics to the entire song “Both Sides Now” at this link.