Learning to respect another’s point of view

Behaviour is the key to change. Good behaviour can bring about a positive change even in the hearts of those who don’t get along with us or hold views that are contrarian to ours. The biggest problem is that we hold on to our viewpoint and don’t pay attention to the views of others.

We are basically prisoners of our ideas. If we take a break from our well-entrenched philosophy and approach a problem or the viewpoint of others with an open mind, we can achieve success in whatever mission we undertake. Such an approach offers two benefits: It broadens our outlook and helps us negotiate ticklish issues.

The other day, I experienced how an open-minded approach adds to our experience and helps thrash out minor and major issues, which otherwise keep on festering. Students of my college were locked in an argument over a linguistic issue. It was a minor issue that had assumed serious overtones.

A section of students wished to write the thought for the day on the whiteboard, affixed on the wall near the college gate, only in English. They were of the view that English is an international language and its literature vast. A lot of educative, informative, inspiring and entertaining quotes could be found easily in English. So, it should be used extensively.

But another group in the college pitched for the use of the mother tongue to write quotes on the board.

The debate on foreign language versus regional language divided the students.

Things came to such a pass that both the groups called for holding elections on the issue to resolve it. They even started garnering support from teachers and students. Teachers tried to break the logjam but to no avail. Finally, elections were held.

The group that advocated the use of English to write the daily quotes won the day. But the election failed to settle the issue. The group that lost kept simmering and would smear or rub the quotes written in English whenever it got an opportunity. Sometimes, it would replace them with quotes taken from regional literature. This widened the gap between the groups.

Finally, the principal took the plunge to end the bitterness that had engulfed the campus. He called both the groups and asked them to carry out an assignment for a week. The group that favoured quotes in English was tasked to write quotes taken from the literature of a regional language and vice-versa.

After a week, there was a big change in the behaviour of both the parties. They had developed respect and love for each other’s viewpoint.

Now, quotes in English and the mother tongue find an equal space on the board.

THE GROUP THAT LOST KEPT SIMMERING

AND WOULD SMEAR OR RUB THE QUOTES WRITTEN IN ENGLISH WHENEVER IT GOT AN OPPORTUNITY