Fantastic work as always. The ability to be empathetic to those with whom you so vigorously disagree is something many of us lack but which we're going to need.
Agreed. Even more so, the ability to be empathetic and work for good alongside people with whom you disagree WHILE not compromising your own values is an even harder challenge. As is separating those with whom you somewhat disagree from those who stand in complete opposition to your values.
Be so kind, friend, to end this essay with an Acapella version of Monte Python's "Always look on the bright side of life." Would die to hear it. In fact am about to croak with laughter at the thought of it. Be well, and prosper.
I'm really bummed that I learned about the experiment before I got a chance to try it for myself (but I'm willing to bet I wouldn't have seen it either all things considered)
I did the test and got 16 instead of 15 but I definitely did not see the gorilla. I have 2 Christian sisters. One is Christian Nationalist, but wont admit it, and a conspiracy theorist. The other is more open. I can co-exist with the first but speaking about anything political is a fools errand. She just cannot even begin to see what I see. Like you say, she would have to break her world to do so. I can still exchange ideas with the other. I also have a political discussion dinner group. We need more Trumpers as the one we have spends all of his time man-splaining nonsense. Thanks for this article. I will post the link on FB.
Being receptive to the concerns of Trump voters and offering them safety and support is like going down to the beach to throw starfish back into the ocean, except instead of starfish it's blue-ringed octopuses. It's still worth doing but HOO boy is that going to leave a mark.
What a lovely piece of writing, heartfelt and complex and I love the gorilla thing. It is a great challenge to do as you have done and perceive the humanity in people with whom you have bedrock disagreements with while holding on to your values and own point of view. You are my best substack read every time.
Laura Jedeed may understand this issue better than almost anyone at the moment; definitely anyone writing about it which she does so well. Thank you again for going there, being there, and bringing back artifacts that need observation and study. Bravo
Your prescription for reaching out is spot on. Unfortunately, the extent of social sorting means I don't interact with many Trump supporters. If I were still working at the chemical plant in Wickliffe, KY, I'd be looking for common ground with the many Trump supporters there. But I'm retired, living in a blue neighborhood, in a blue city, in a red state. It's hard to build bridges to people you never meet. One of your many journalistic talents is reaching out to the foot soldiers of MAGA and starting dialogs instead of shouting matches. Keep up the good work.
I first saw the experiment in a six sigma training class. I counted the passes perfectly and never saw the gorilla. Today, knowing there was a gorilla, which I saw clearly, I only counted 13 passes. Oh well.
I've sent this to just about everyone I know since reading it myself last night. I describe it to my friends and family as "it's kinda 'we all need to work togther' but not in a Kumbaya kinda way, more in the way that my Irish Grandma from New Jersey used to round up us cousins: screeching "GIT IN HEEYA!!" from her front stoop." I don't think we responded positively because we were scared of her -ok maybe a little- but because we were a sweet little family and Grandma knew what she was doing. If she told us to git in heeya in her thick Morristown accent, we got in there. Maybe more of us can make peace with that Irish Grandma who really only wants what's best for us.
I didn't do the experiment as I've done it before but even when counting passes, I saw the gorilla. Some of us are just weird.
Fantastic work as always. The ability to be empathetic to those with whom you so vigorously disagree is something many of us lack but which we're going to need.
Agreed. Even more so, the ability to be empathetic and work for good alongside people with whom you disagree WHILE not compromising your own values is an even harder challenge. As is separating those with whom you somewhat disagree from those who stand in complete opposition to your values.
Be so kind, friend, to end this essay with an Acapella version of Monte Python's "Always look on the bright side of life." Would die to hear it. In fact am about to croak with laughter at the thought of it. Be well, and prosper.
I got 15 and did not see the gorilla. Countering the long term damage fake news has done to our society is a monumental undertaking.
Thanks for the gift subscriptions. I gave one to my daughter, 25, and my son who is 30. They both like your writing. 😊
I'm so glad they like it!
I'm really bummed that I learned about the experiment before I got a chance to try it for myself (but I'm willing to bet I wouldn't have seen it either all things considered)
You are a sharp cookie, love, and I would bet on you seeing the gorilla, as your eyes are well trained by all the shit monkeys in Congress.
I did the test and got 16 instead of 15 but I definitely did not see the gorilla. I have 2 Christian sisters. One is Christian Nationalist, but wont admit it, and a conspiracy theorist. The other is more open. I can co-exist with the first but speaking about anything political is a fools errand. She just cannot even begin to see what I see. Like you say, she would have to break her world to do so. I can still exchange ideas with the other. I also have a political discussion dinner group. We need more Trumpers as the one we have spends all of his time man-splaining nonsense. Thanks for this article. I will post the link on FB.
Wow, very insightful and eloquent.
Wonderful article Laura- I admire you and what you’re doing to help us try to understand the thinking of others. 😘
Incredible piece. Thank you.
Being receptive to the concerns of Trump voters and offering them safety and support is like going down to the beach to throw starfish back into the ocean, except instead of starfish it's blue-ringed octopuses. It's still worth doing but HOO boy is that going to leave a mark.
What a lovely piece of writing, heartfelt and complex and I love the gorilla thing. It is a great challenge to do as you have done and perceive the humanity in people with whom you have bedrock disagreements with while holding on to your values and own point of view. You are my best substack read every time.
The best I've seen on this topic: Thank you.
I also took some hope from Monica Guzman's admonition to "depolarize ourselves" in her 2022 book I Never Thought of It That Way.
This war shall include a lot of 残留日本兵 Japanese holdouts.
I have not read that, and I should
Laura Jedeed may understand this issue better than almost anyone at the moment; definitely anyone writing about it which she does so well. Thank you again for going there, being there, and bringing back artifacts that need observation and study. Bravo
Your prescription for reaching out is spot on. Unfortunately, the extent of social sorting means I don't interact with many Trump supporters. If I were still working at the chemical plant in Wickliffe, KY, I'd be looking for common ground with the many Trump supporters there. But I'm retired, living in a blue neighborhood, in a blue city, in a red state. It's hard to build bridges to people you never meet. One of your many journalistic talents is reaching out to the foot soldiers of MAGA and starting dialogs instead of shouting matches. Keep up the good work.
I first saw the experiment in a six sigma training class. I counted the passes perfectly and never saw the gorilla. Today, knowing there was a gorilla, which I saw clearly, I only counted 13 passes. Oh well.
I've sent this to just about everyone I know since reading it myself last night. I describe it to my friends and family as "it's kinda 'we all need to work togther' but not in a Kumbaya kinda way, more in the way that my Irish Grandma from New Jersey used to round up us cousins: screeching "GIT IN HEEYA!!" from her front stoop." I don't think we responded positively because we were scared of her -ok maybe a little- but because we were a sweet little family and Grandma knew what she was doing. If she told us to git in heeya in her thick Morristown accent, we got in there. Maybe more of us can make peace with that Irish Grandma who really only wants what's best for us.
I didn't do the experiment as I've done it before but even when counting passes, I saw the gorilla. Some of us are just weird.