My Latest Column: Everyone Deserves Dignity and Respect

Do you believe that all people are worthy of dignity and respect? Have you found yourself using derogatory terms for people with different viewpoints than yours? Do you recall situations when your actions failed to live up to your personal values?  

Derogatory terms have become so widespread in public forums that they have reached a level of common usage. With respect to political polarization, failing to treat others with dignity and respect might feel good in the short-term and generate kudos from your political “tribe.” But it only adds to the nation’s growing division, reinforcing for those on the other side their own negative views of people on your side.

Shaming others for their views is ineffective argued David Keen, professor of conflict studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, on a Hidden Brain podcast. Keen has written: “Drawing from experiences in Sierra Leone's civil war and the dynamics of political discourse in the United States, it's clear that shaming can entrench divisions and even be manipulated by its targets to reinforce their support base.” Shaming comes at, "the expense of meaningful discourse,” Keen argues, “perpetuating cycles of blame and division without fostering genuine improvement.”   

 I recall the Cold War term “mutually assured destruction” used to describe the growth of nuclear weapons (and the hope that the other side would not use theirs!) during the 1960s.

We need to change how we talk about others, both publicly and privately.  

 You can read my full column in New Hampshire Business Review at https://read.nhbr.com/nh-business-review/2024/09/06/#?article=4253542