PAGE IN PROGRESS What you see here is a page of my hypertext book POWER of meanings // MEANINGS of power. Initially empty, this page will slowly be filled with thoughts, notes, and quotes. One day, I will use them to write a coherent entry, similar to these completed pages. Thank you for your interest and patience!
Empathy exchange: we need to take turns giving each other empathy There needs to be an understanding that both sides will receive empathy in an interaction Empathy is like tango; it take two to tango, it takes two to do empathy
Power to understand another person’s perspective: Sky’s conflict at the pool with the stick IT’s developmental - Sky might not have it yet so it’s hard to use what you don’t have Most adults do have this power but they do not necessarily use it because it requires significant effort
Mean/stupid or sick (pathological, not normal - connect to “norm”)
Imagining people we dislike, whose actions we disapprove of as children. How did they develop their coping mechanisms, how did they develop their worldview. It is tough to imagine someone we strongly dislike as a child and try to understand how they became who they are
The importance of purpose: song “so I guess I’ll have to do it while I’m here”. People often do something because they really care. Telling them that they are wrong is not the best strategy. They chose this purpose, it matters to them.
empathy: understanding limitations of the other person’s power and the power of circumstances