Respond to Divisiveness with Humility
31 Mar 2025
Responding to divisiveness with better relationship, is something I came across in my recent research work.
This paper is written by Professor Thomas Plante. He is a psychology scholar, also an editor of the American Psychological Journal, Spirituality in Clinical Practice.
Professor Plante advocates that in context of the ever escalating interpersonal and intergroup conflicts, accommodation, humility and expectation of goodness are three of the essential values and tools to respond to divisiveness.
According to Professor Plante, essences of “arrogance, overconfidence, strong opinions and narcissism” have been well-embraced in modern societies. People with confidence usually attract a lot of spotlight and even become the role models of others. On the contrary, humility has been used as a descriptive for “losers”, something that has been devalued, invisible or ignored at our times today.
Humility, according to Professor Plante, is indeed a perspective that :
• no person could know everything or has all the answers
• everyone can learn something new from another person
• humility reminds us about our limitations
• humility helps us to avoid jumping to conclusion or dashing to judgement, preventing us to become overly defensive
• humility encourages us to listen more attentively to the person next to us
The true value of humility, according to Professor Plante, is being purely kind to others, learning how to respect others’ cultures, perspectives, values and life experiences.
To know and to accept oneself, is essential in attaining one’s emotional health. It is certainly not easy to aware of our own limitations, honestly and consistently. Putting down our assumptions, humbly listening and learning from others,
• not because of work efficiency ;
• not because of promotion opportunities ;
• not because of economic advantages,
but purely being kind to others. Frankly, this value and practice might have been easily subsided, forgotten or lost along our growths.
Thank you so much to Professor Plante’s messages!
If you wish to read the original paper (in English), please press this hyperlink :https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11089-024-01191-2 Title of the paper is "Dealing with Divisiveness: Ignatian Principles for Better Relationships."
