The Unifying Power of Good Intentions

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The unifying power of good intentions

This week, I have been thinking about intentions. And the purity behind them.

The two sides responsible for amplifying the political polarization aren't sending much love around. At least, not toward the other. A fundamental requirement for any constructive dialogue is that you harbor good intentions also for the other side. You want their success every bit as much as your own despite any deeply held convictions about a different way to get there.

I believe it is the lack of good intentions that is really causing the fracturing of our public conversation. It's pretty obvious, isn't it? I mean, if you don't believe the other side has any interest in your future progress, of course, the only sensible strategy is to ignore, disengage and possibly also delegitimize their positions and ultimately make them fail. However, if you are convinced they also want what is good for you, even though they might have a different strategy, you might at least engage to listen and learn more.

Part of the restoration of our public discourse, therefore, goes back to intentions. If we somehow remind ourselves that our political debate and public discourse are supposed to serve us all, then I think the tolerance and sensitivities in how exactly we accomplish those intentions might improve.

I thought the image of Prince William above is a great case in point. Someone posted the first image to humiliate him and to make him look bad. Fortunately, for Prince William, someone else caught the same situation from a different angle and posted that picture. They tell two very different stories, with entirely different intentions. But they share the same reality, which is that Prince William proudly announced the birth of their third child.

With today's technology, anyone can make any reality seem real. There are deep fakes and endless ways to fit any fact to help amplify your narrative. It is, of course, very dangerous. Particularly as intentions aren't pure.

I was trained early by the power of positive intentions. I certainly don't always remember to live by that. My emotions get the best of me, too, at times. But I try to believe in the goodness of humans and that each and every person has a right and a desire to do the best they can and achieve the very best future for themselves.

So, when we read something, see something, or hear something, we should pause for a bit and ask ourselves: What is the intention behind this? Does it have good intentions for all audiences? Or is it self-serving and only trying to advance the position of a particular constituent?

To love someone is to wish for their growth and happiness the same way you wish for your own. We have clearly lost a lot of love in our social dialogue. But love will set us free. We simply need a lot more of it.

I will start right now. I love you! I really, really do.

All you need is love! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Hugh Grant in "Love Actually" on why LOVE is actually all around. If you look for it.