Conflict Is Not Approved For That Application

Arthur Brooks, economist and author of Love Your Enemies estimates that seven percent of the population profits from contempt. Contempt is how we feel when we view others as invaluable, incapable, and irresponsible. This is exactly the opposite of compassion.

Contempt-Mongers

Contempt-mongers make their living by using conflict as a weapon. They have honed the art of stoking division, emphasizing differences, inviting fear, and normalizing the degradation of anyone who gets in their way.

Conflict was never approved for use as a weapon.

Conflict is a natural consequence of diversity. Diversity is a natural and wonderful part of this world we live in. The purpose of conflict is to create, not destroy.

Conflict has been approved as a viable energy source for creating something amazing.

Compassion is the mechanism for harnessing the positive potential in conflict.

So what’s up with the seven percent? 

• Ignorance; we don’t know and don’t want to know about those other people
• Greed; compassion threatens our personal stockpile of stuff
• Fear; I don’t know what would happen, but it’s probably bad
• Upbringing; it’s how I was raised
• Us vs. Them; we are right, they are different, they need to be eliminated
• It pays off; contempt-mongering gets me what I want

The good news!

93% of the world prefers compassion.

Who is your role model in the 93%? Will you give them a shout out on this post?