I hear such reverence and desire for being around or talking with “like-minded individuals” and I see that dynamic coming at the severe cost of inclusivity and broader connection.
What if, instead of looking for like-minded individuals, we looked for like-spirited individuals?
Like-minded seems to mean:
We have the same opinions about topics
We have the same reverence for those who agree with us
We have the same disdain for those who don’t
What if like-spirited could mean:
We hold curiosity about other opinions and experiences
We speak from our own perspectives and not absolutes or “truths”
We have conversations that include as many wonderments as statements
That is who I realize I am yearning to have conversations with. Like-spirited people with whom I can actually have a conversation that explores and learns, vs. just attending their one-person seminar of why their perspective is the right or only one.
