Habit 5 of Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Effective People. All I can say from my observations regarding the ruckus around Health Care Reform right now, this isn't happening a lot. Lots of people are talking at others, with ears and minds closed. Beset with misleading truths and non-factional information, we don't have the right dialogue going on right now. Here is an example of what happens when people don't open their minds and ears and listen. This has to do with the perception that we in the 
US have of the French, and the perceptions they have of us.
US have of the French, and the perceptions they have of us.
This is the reality regarding what the two cultures have in common. While one can see that we are not 100% the same, there is a significant level of overlap. A degree of overlap that given the high level of rhetoric on the French, one might not expect.
The next chart shows the emotional impression of what we in the US and the French think of each other. As you can see, the normal stereotypes. Especially given all the hype that has occurred since 9/11 and the French unwillingness to enter into the war. Remember Freedom Fries vs French fries?
So, I now look at some events I attended last week. One was a MN Democratic-Farm Labor Party event in support of 
Health Care Reform. The other was sponsored by the local Tea Party Patriots group. While both sides had their extremists, both sides also had their representatives who wanted to talk and learn. I can't help but go to these charts above and just change the labels to see how much there is in common under the covers, yet, when you don't listen and understand, you get the extreme views shown in the second chart.
The reality that I see is that for all the TV spots showing shouting and high emotions, there ia level of violent agreement that people are just not seeing. I believe this is more in the majority.
There are those who are stirring the pot and either have a political agenda and continue to foster misleading information, or just don't have the facts. Remember the words of the late Sen. Patrick Moynihan,
I am reading HR 3200 and going right to the pages that some groups cite for death panels, government edits, abortion, illegal immigrant support, what have you. I guess I don't get it, but then again, I'm a laymen, not a lawyer or legislator. I saw a video clip this morning of a town hall in La. where the Senator cited an example of a pregnant women who was turned away from the hospital for lack of insurance and said that was a government issue and that is what we get if we go forward. The government had nothing to do with that case, it was all insurance, why do people stand up and say these things?
So, please, lets act like we are the greatest nation on the planet and have discussions based on fact, not fear. The worst thing we can do right now is nothing. Three years ago the Dow was at 11,500 and if someone told you if we don't do something in three years we would be on the brink of a complete financial meltdown. GM would be bankrupt, major banks wold be failing and only a massive government bailout would save the banking system. Would you have believed them? Yet, many were out there saying just that but no one was listening. No one was listening at the SEC about Bernie Madoff even when years of evidence was placed on their front door.
Well, history is repeating itself, only now its worse because we are trying to climb out of the financial hole we dug for ourselves. So, now is the time to get the facts, stop and listen before you talk, find the common groud, and lets as a nation move forward from there. I see opportunity and a great future ahead, if we first understand, then be understood.
Health Care Reform. The other was sponsored by the local Tea Party Patriots group. While both sides had their extremists, both sides also had their representatives who wanted to talk and learn. I can't help but go to these charts above and just change the labels to see how much there is in common under the covers, yet, when you don't listen and understand, you get the extreme views shown in the second chart.
The reality that I see is that for all the TV spots showing shouting and high emotions, there ia level of violent agreement that people are just not seeing. I believe this is more in the majority.
There are those who are stirring the pot and either have a political agenda and continue to foster misleading information, or just don't have the facts. Remember the words of the late Sen. Patrick Moynihan,
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.
I am reading HR 3200 and going right to the pages that some groups cite for death panels, government edits, abortion, illegal immigrant support, what have you. I guess I don't get it, but then again, I'm a laymen, not a lawyer or legislator. I saw a video clip this morning of a town hall in La. where the Senator cited an example of a pregnant women who was turned away from the hospital for lack of insurance and said that was a government issue and that is what we get if we go forward. The government had nothing to do with that case, it was all insurance, why do people stand up and say these things?
So, please, lets act like we are the greatest nation on the planet and have discussions based on fact, not fear. The worst thing we can do right now is nothing. Three years ago the Dow was at 11,500 and if someone told you if we don't do something in three years we would be on the brink of a complete financial meltdown. GM would be bankrupt, major banks wold be failing and only a massive government bailout would save the banking system. Would you have believed them? Yet, many were out there saying just that but no one was listening. No one was listening at the SEC about Bernie Madoff even when years of evidence was placed on their front door.
Well, history is repeating itself, only now its worse because we are trying to climb out of the financial hole we dug for ourselves. So, now is the time to get the facts, stop and listen before you talk, find the common groud, and lets as a nation move forward from there. I see opportunity and a great future ahead, if we first understand, then be understood.
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Thanks for sharing, Ken. Very thoughtful comments. I hope you have a chance to be heard (and listened to) in the future. I'll do my bit to help.
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