You reinforce people’s beliefs by mocking them.
And as their numbers increase, that mockery becomes the glue and armor that keeps them together.
The debates around wearing masks as a preventive measure has shown me that even what is obviously right will not be automatically accepted, and if you think mocking those that believe it brings more harm than good will change them, you are just being naïve.
What about the irrational things you hold dear? Your rituals, your gods, your biases, your stories, how many times have you let go of them because you were mocked about them? If anything, it drives you to go deeper into tribes that accept your beliefs.
There are many other ways to illuminate people’s paths. For one, start by imagining a scenario in which in the end you were wrong after all, and they were right. How would you be able to live with yourself, knowing you were actually the irrational one? Will you dismiss it as always, as a flaw in the information available to you?
If you cannot find a scenario in which the other party is right, you are just being conceited. If you find a scenario in which the other party might be right, no matter how remote, explore it.
People replicate what they see, not what you say. If they see you taking a step to truly understand their position, they will take a step towards you too. And if your position is the one that has the light, that step will bring them into the light.
We are all irrational, at least in some spheres. Be generous with those that cannot see it, including yourself.
– Osasu Oviawe