"My father taught that nonviolence begins with language and the discipline to choose words that uplift rather than degrade, that clarify rather than distort and that build community rather than fracture it. Last month in the United States, we marked the holiday that bears his name at a time when our own social cohesion is under immense strain. The rhetoric of public life has grown sharper, more cynical and more divisive. Too often, we speak as if our neighbours are adversaries rather than fellow citizens."
"But what I also observe is the power of narrative. The stories we tell about one another, and the stories we showcase, shape the possibilities of our shared future. When we speak about groups of people as problems rather than partners, we diminish our collective humanity. Reducing individuals to stereotypes or statistics closes the door to empathy and allowing fear-based narratives to prevail weakens the bonds that hold us together."
The health of a society is revealed in how people speak to and about one another. Nonviolence begins with language and requires discipline to choose words that uplift rather than degrade, clarify rather than distort, and build community rather than fracture it. Sharp, cynical, and divisive public rhetoric undermines social cohesion and encourages treating neighbours as adversaries. The erosion of respect is a global challenge, including in Australia, where achievements coexist with fragile social fabric, deep wounds, and misunderstandings. The power of narrative shapes possibilities: portraying groups as problems diminishes collective humanity, closes the door to empathy, and weakens bonds needed for shared futures and improved relations with First Peoples.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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