Are you willing to engage with someone whose beliefs seem completely opposed to your own? Here’s why it might be worth the effort.

In 2016, Genesis Be protested against Confederate Heritage Month, and was left surprised after an unlikely conversation with a Confederate flag advocate. Their discussion didn’t sway their stances, but it did reveal unexpected respect for one another.

Before approaching someone else’s views, reflect on your own. Ask yourself why you believe what you do. Confront your fears and identify how they impact your behavior. Doing so will help you dissect and truly understand the beliefs of others, even if they don’t align with your own. Instead of letting anger drive our actions, we can focus on understanding what truly motivates us—and those we disagree with.

This mutual vulnerability allows us to recognize the humanity behind our “opponents,” and find common ground where we once thought there was none.

This is The Dilemma with Irshad Manji, a series from Big Think created in partnership with Moral Courage College.

About Irshad Manji:

Irshad Manji is an award-winning educator, author, and advocate for moral courage and diversity of thought. As the founder of Moral Courage College, she equips people to engage in honest conversations across lines of difference.

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