Overcoming The Polarization Of ……. Everything

Taking our show on the road

Among the things we have to offer, today, is one of our handout pieces on the –

Characteristics of Polarization

(Scroll to the bottom, if you wish to bypass my chit chat.)

As of today, our Coffee House Conversations On Race Relations project has moved into full steam ahead. Thanks to a key leaders planning discussion of last night.

Of course, carrying this project forth, successfully, is going to depend a great deal on New Horizons’ abilities to overcome the ubiquitous polarization that pervades our society and politics on every level. 

Even the most dedicated and seasoned activists will, on occasion, fall short of the aim. So we do expect a few bumps and bruises along the way.

However, in the three years we have been working on our Possible Human, Possible Society Study our eyes have been opened, wide, to the scope -- and the pettiness -- of our country’s polarization.

And, with close to forty years of working to develop and sustain thriving communities behind us, we believe we’ve got some expertise and a medicine bag full of health-giving potions to help remedy some of the dis-ease we’ve been finding.

Several of our most profound findings have been these –

• Better than 90% of interviewees have no significant relationships beyond their like-minded groups.
• Better than 90% of interviewees are unmotivated to interact with others beyond these groups.
• Better than 90% of those interviewed believe they are powerless or lack the skills or other resources to impact our national social and political crises.

Since awareness of a problem is an essential starting point for putting things aright, I keep trying to draw our readers’ attention to these items. They stand at so much of the base of what ails America today. 

I am not certain, however, that the significance these hold is being truly grasped yet.

I would like it better if it was. However, sometimes one must keep telling and telling and telling until the message hits home which eventually it will.

Since it is time, now, for us to take our collection of accrued knowledge, gathered through our study and our many years of programs and project, out and onto the road, I believe progress is in the making.

This means we will be meeting with more and more people directly – and – providing opportunities through workshops, seminars, discussions groups and public speaking engagements to assist folks in enhancing all kinds of community development and violence prevention tools; people-relating, communications and conflict resolution skills for starters.

Our Coffee House Conversations On Race Relations project is where we will begin on this next leg of our overall mission;  being builders of small “zones of peace” wherever we go.

This is a very joyful plan for New Horizons for 2015.

To get the project launched, I thought today  it might serve our intentions to share this one piece, extracted from our planned program for January 31, that helps clarify some of the most prominent features of the presence of polarization wherever it exists.

What are the characteristics of polarization?

• Emotional barriers;
• Defensiveness;
• Communication breakdown;
• Seeing the “other” as enemies;
• Anger, blame, criticism;
• Conflict, withdrawal, avoidance, collusion, secrets, aggression, violence – WAR!

Anastasia The Super Sleuth Says –

You might expand your consciousness by taking a pause for ten minutes or so in your busy day, today, to ask yourself where these characteristics of polarization symptoms are active in your life and relationships.

And, remember you are always welcome to contact me at: SuperSleuthDSW@aol.com to share your experiences and insights or ask for my guidance on whatever you are reading here.