Let’s Be Civil by Charles Johnson
“Good citizenship is based on civility. We can achieve this if we mindfully practice two things: humility and egoless listening.
Other people will always be a mystery that outstrips our perceptions and conceptions.
These practices reinforce one another. They involve deep listening to discover how others reveal themselves to us, moment by moment, and letting go of everything but the basic assumption that others want happiness and freedom from suffering, just as we do.
Beyond this assumption, we should not project our fantasies, ideas, or desires onto others. After all, other people will always be a mystery that outstrips our perceptions and conceptions.
When we experience anger, it is helpful if we pause to remember that our lives are remarkably brief and our deaths can come at any moment. In this way, we see how our worldly desires and conflicts with others are both sad and ephemeral.”
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