Moderation – inspiration

The lyrics for “Moderation” are here.

We live in a world of extremes. There is no shortage of groups of people in the world who oppose each other. Everyone has an opinion, which they’re entitled to, but so many people are holding onto their opinion so tightly that this clouds their vision and prevents them from considering objectively another point of view, and being willing to revise their opinion in light of new information obtained. What’s more, because this is the case, increasingly people pre-judge and box others who may be inclined to a different ideology or occupation or even fashion sense to themselves, and assume that others are “against” them. You’re either “for us” or “against us”. You have to be either anti- something or pro- the same thing. And if you are pro the thing that I am anti, then we can’t get along, and vice versa.

I would love to see a world where people can sit down and share their thoughts freely and respectfully with each other, without ridiculing the thoughts of others, and without fear of their own thoughts being ridiculed. In this world, people would earnestly listen to each other, even if they didn’t really like or agree with each others ideas, and they would sincerely strive to understand things from each other’s point of view, and consider deeply the validity of ways of thinking different to their own. If more people did this, I really believe that so many misunderstandings, conflicts, and sense of otherness (“us” versus “them”) would melt away, and that we would not only get along a lot better, but we would also find much better solutions to the challenges that humanity faces today. And the solutions that we come up with would carve a new path that is not constrained by the diametric and irreconcilable approaches that govern human relations today.

“… take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should anyone oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed. The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.” – ‘Abdu’l-Baha