Make Words, Not War

Our species is brilliant at bridging divides in science and technology, but we’re terrible at bridging divides between one another. With all of the violent and fear-based battles of ideology and identity fought on the planet today, we humans are long overdue for an evolutionary leap.

Starting immediately, we can change the fight-or-flee dynamic by changing the very wiring of our brains. It involves the emergence of a new language, an Emotional Literacy that will eventually be taught in the K-12-PhD track alongside other major subjects.

What if we used words instead of wars; shared insights and transformational moments instead of battles between victor and victim; discovered creative solutions and new directions instead of “I’m right, you’re wrong”?

Begin now. Invite friends, “frenemies” and colleagues from different ideological centers to talk to—rather than at, about or against—one another. When impasses arise, look to language to build bridges. Ask new questions. Share what works and what doesn’t. Make it interesting and fun. Be on the frontlines of an exciting new movement. Pass it on.