Are You Curious?

“The American electorate, knowing exactly who Trump is, chose him. This is, it turns out, who we are.” – Michelle Goldberg, author and columnist.

There are good, compassionate, kind, and just people in the United States who are being dominated by a “This is who we are” minority who are anti-woke and anti-immigrant. They voted for their wallets.

Are you curious about who and what makes up “This is who we are?”  I am.

Are you curious why they are so fearful? Fear is the root of all ugly behavior. Why do we keep ignoring gun safety after the continuous mass shootings because of fear? Why do we fear people who don’t think, believe, or look like us? Why do we fear the LGBTQ+? Why do we fear the walk-the-talk of Jesus, Abraham, Mohammed, Buddha, Confucious, and Gandhi?

Are you curious why they are incompetent? Why don’t they recognize incompetence and inexperience as problems? Why do they embrace ridiculousness?

According to Charles Feldman, in The Thin Book of Trust, competency is one of the four components of trust. Why is acknowledging incompetence a sign of weakness for them? Why lie about incompetence? Why is trust no longer necessary to them?

Are you curious why they are selfish? Why do they think of themselves first and focus on what they want, no matter who has to suffer? Why is lying acceptable to get what they deserve?

Are you curious why they are unhinged? Why are there no guardrails, boundaries, or codes of conduct for which we are willing to hold ourselves accountable? Why is finger-pointing a daily exercise routine for them? Why is recklessness in fashion for them? Why do alternative facts, conspiracy theories, and fake news overrule facts, truth, and science for them?

Are you curious why they are impatient and quick to anger? Road rage incidents have doubled since 2018.

Are you curious why character is no longer about what others say about us but is bound by self-promotion for them?  Why is humility for losers for them?

Are you curious why they are uncivil? Why is everyone who doesn’t think, believe, or look like us not an opponent but an enemy for them?

Are you curious why they are loyal to a person and party, not to the U.S. Constitution?

Are you curious why we are an addicted nation? Why are we addicted to consumption? Why are we addicted to our smartphones and screens? Why do we seek pleasure to keep the pain away? Are our addictions keeping us from being better versions of ourselves? How are we experiencing ourselves, and how are others experiencing us?

Are you curious why we are judgmental? Judgment is an opinion that may need more careful consideration of facts. Our judgment may nurture our ignorance. Judgment is about telling what is wrong and what needs fixing. Judgment feeds the ego. Judgment may shut out the light, keeping the mind closed and the heart small.

Curiosity is the antidote for judgment. Curiosity requires listening to understand.

Curiosity is what makes Braver Angels a success. Watch the documentary, A Road Across A Divided America. Jump to 29:30 in this video to understand the need to be curious.

“Curiosity will conquer fear more than bravery ever will.” ~ James Stephens

What are you curious about?