SOCIAL
“Why is it so hard to hear the opinions of other people?”
Often it can be difficult to hear other people’s opinions, especially when they differ from ours. We may be too attached to our values and beliefs that it’s not easy to be open to others. When we are so used to our way of thinking, we tend to believe it’s the only way to understand things, when in fact, it is also possible to look at it from another perspective.
Another reason could be we are too judgmental of others, thinking that they are criticizing us when they are simply expressing a different view. Maybe we are closed in on our thoughts, making it difficult to accommodate others. We lack empathy and cannot put ourselves in other people’s shoes, through which we can understand where they’re coming from and how they feel.
Differences or newness of thoughts can also create uneasiness or resistance because they are not what we’ve been accustomed to. This may challenge us or make us question our beliefs.
In addition to all this, there may be communication barriers that hinder relaying a message effectively, causing conflicts and disagreements.
But when we are aware of our biases and nurture appreciation of other cultures/customs, we can be more open to different kinds of opinions. And this diversity of knowledge can help us become wiser, more hospitable, and live more harmoniously with others.
