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Bijdrage aan de maatschappij Engels
Welcome everyone, attendees, listeners, and
readers. I sincerely hope you all feel welcome. I'm writing this piece and
standing here as one of you, part of the greater Us and always striving for the
collective We. Motivated to inspire you, encourage active thinking, and foster
awareness, perhaps with a fresh perspective and behavior. I don't believe that
this discourse alone will completely eliminate polarization in the Netherlands,
as I think one individual cannot have such influence. However, I do want to try
to make the subject of polarization within Dutch society discussable and
changeable.
In our diverse society, different things are
important to different people. However, it cannot be denied that in our pursuit
of what matters to us, we may disregard the needs of others, and in the
worst-case scenario, even turn them into enemies. It is my conviction that love
for diversity arises when we engage in equal conversations, free from prejudice
and beyond our comfort zones, searching for unity and ensuring the legitimacy
of each individual's existence while respecting our own and others' identities.
I want to explain what polarization entails: it
is the act of turning away from each other when behaviors or actions repel or
do not resonate with us. The aforementioned open conversation is jeopardized,
and we quickly see the other person as an enemy, feeling that our own values
are under attack due to the extreme opposites that exist. As a result, we grow
distant from each other instead of coming closer and seeking the ultimate truth
or the happiness and well-being of all people.
I have my own opinions, and I also have
opinions about what you think. However, I have no interest in what you think
because what I believe is right or feels right. And if you want to hear what I
think, that's fine, and if you agree with me, even better. In a perfect world,
we embrace differences and coexist peacefully without having to share or impose
our opinions or desires on each other. The question I pose is: should we always
express our opinions? Or is accepting the opinions of others sufficient? I
don't know; it's not for me to answer this question. Yet, from a sense of
self-worth, humans still have the need to express their own views or perspectives,
fearing that otherwise they may go unnoticed or unheard. You matter,
just remember, I matter too!
Your behavior and the way you perceive things
jeopardize my beliefs and opinions. It even scares me to the extent that I want
to resist with every fiber of my being. You encroach upon what is sacred to me,
undermine my values, and attack me! And everyone I talk to shares my opinion:
you want to take away what belongs to us, and we cannot allow that. We will
resist. Change often comes with pain, but how often do we ask ourselves where
that pain comes from? Does it stem from the rejection by others, or is there
something else as its basis? Is our worldview changing too fast? Are we being
left behind, unseen and unheard while others are not? I matter too!
For humans, they themselves are the center of
the universe, and it can be frightening to set oneself aside and look at a
situation without assumptions and prejudices. Is their problem my problem? Am I
the only one suffering from my problem? What is the actual problem? Is it the
other person, or is it the stubborn, willful self, holding on with all its
might to the familiar and refusing to take the deep plunge because it seems too
daunting or scary?
View all episodes
By Ben HerboldWelcome everyone, attendees, listeners, and
readers. I sincerely hope you all feel welcome. I'm writing this piece and
standing here as one of you, part of the greater Us and always striving for the
collective We. Motivated to inspire you, encourage active thinking, and foster
awareness, perhaps with a fresh perspective and behavior. I don't believe that
this discourse alone will completely eliminate polarization in the Netherlands,
as I think one individual cannot have such influence. However, I do want to try
to make the subject of polarization within Dutch society discussable and
changeable.
In our diverse society, different things are
important to different people. However, it cannot be denied that in our pursuit
of what matters to us, we may disregard the needs of others, and in the
worst-case scenario, even turn them into enemies. It is my conviction that love
for diversity arises when we engage in equal conversations, free from prejudice
and beyond our comfort zones, searching for unity and ensuring the legitimacy
of each individual's existence while respecting our own and others' identities.
I want to explain what polarization entails: it
is the act of turning away from each other when behaviors or actions repel or
do not resonate with us. The aforementioned open conversation is jeopardized,
and we quickly see the other person as an enemy, feeling that our own values
are under attack due to the extreme opposites that exist. As a result, we grow
distant from each other instead of coming closer and seeking the ultimate truth
or the happiness and well-being of all people.
I have my own opinions, and I also have
opinions about what you think. However, I have no interest in what you think
because what I believe is right or feels right. And if you want to hear what I
think, that's fine, and if you agree with me, even better. In a perfect world,
we embrace differences and coexist peacefully without having to share or impose
our opinions or desires on each other. The question I pose is: should we always
express our opinions? Or is accepting the opinions of others sufficient? I
don't know; it's not for me to answer this question. Yet, from a sense of
self-worth, humans still have the need to express their own views or perspectives,
fearing that otherwise they may go unnoticed or unheard. You matter,
just remember, I matter too!
Your behavior and the way you perceive things
jeopardize my beliefs and opinions. It even scares me to the extent that I want
to resist with every fiber of my being. You encroach upon what is sacred to me,
undermine my values, and attack me! And everyone I talk to shares my opinion:
you want to take away what belongs to us, and we cannot allow that. We will
resist. Change often comes with pain, but how often do we ask ourselves where
that pain comes from? Does it stem from the rejection by others, or is there
something else as its basis? Is our worldview changing too fast? Are we being
left behind, unseen and unheard while others are not? I matter too!
For humans, they themselves are the center of
the universe, and it can be frightening to set oneself aside and look at a
situation without assumptions and prejudices. Is their problem my problem? Am I
the only one suffering from my problem? What is the actual problem? Is it the
other person, or is it the stubborn, willful self, holding on with all its
might to the familiar and refusing to take the deep plunge because it seems too
daunting or scary?