Taken from http://www.relacionesculturales.edu.mx/abla-2016/
ABLA 2016’s Lesson 4: A Mindfulness-Driven Moment “Respect vs. Beliefs” By Prof. Jonathan Acuña-Solano, M. Ed. School of English Faculty of Social Sciences Universidad Latina de Costa Rica Friday, September 2, 2016 Post 288
Have you ever stopped your daily routine, either at work or at home, to question yourself on the respect any individual deserves regardless of any hidden or manifested condition this human being has? Though these are not the exact words that Amiris Helena and Sandra Rodriguez used to phrase the question above, it is the one main idea I got through their presentation at the ABLA 2016 Convention in Houston, TX. Both Helena and Rodriguez made me re-question myself in two different ways: a) Is one being governed by one’s beliefs at all times?, and b) is one being biased by one’s community’s (pre)dominant gestalts at all times? And though I will try to give an answer to these questions later on, let us explore some of the ideas both presenters had us explore during their presentation.
How do our beliefs condition our “respect” for the others? To start with it is important to define what beliefs are to understand how they condition our so-called respect for the others. A belief can be defined as “confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof” [ CITATION Belnd \l 1033
]. Based on this definition, we are walking in life as if we were
blindfolded by a truth that probably does not exist or that cannot be proven, yet we trust our beliefs as if they were irrefutable truths that can govern our way of doing things and treating other individuals. On the other hand, respect can be comprehended as “a feeling or understanding that someone or something is important, serious, etc., and should be treated in an appropriate way” [ CITATION Mernd \l 1033 ]. But are we treating our fellow brothers and sisters because they are “important, serious,” and so on? Beliefs are grounded on our community’s collective unconsciousness, which –by the way- is never, ever questioned and which is not “immediately susceptible to rigorous proof.” We can be walking out in life “treating” people disrespectfully because we are blindfolded by these irrefutable truths we call beliefs, and they do not allow us to see and understand “that someone … is important” just the way they are. And if all this is transferred to our workplaces, what is actually happening with all of us who get to work in a language school in automatic pilot? Are we treating everyone respectfully beyond what I believe and have never questioned before?
How do we acknowledge diversity in our fellow people? When we walk into our workplaces, diversity is present every step of our ways. Every single individual in our offices, classrooms, lounges, and so on are nurtured with diversity that needs to be accepted and consequently respected. As explained by Helena & Rodríguez (2016) during their presentation, though we do not necessarily accept what the
other person holds as a belief or how s/he behaves in certain ways, we have to acknowledge them by respecting their points of view and ways of doing things. We may not “like” what they do, but these people deserve to be treated with respect beyond the unreasonable domain of our beliefs. While listening to Helena & Rodríguez’s (2016) talk at ABLA in Houston, several questionings popped up in my mind. All this self-examination was shaped in the form of more questions that need to be asked: a) Are we aware of differences of all type at work when one has to deal with peers, supervisors, bosses, students, and in turn learners’ parents? b) Do we willingly accept all those differences that are found in every corner of our workplaces? c) Are we comfortable with all those differences surrounding us all the hours we spend at work? d) Are we really ready to go beyond our beliefs and respect our co-workers regardless of the differences we can number? e) And what about the relationships that are created around our students in and outside the classroom? f) Are we ever comfortable with all our learners, what they think, believe, and reason? g) Are we ripe and prepared to start respecting our students just the way we want others to respect and value us for what we are? As it can be seen, Helena & Rodríguez (2016) made me think in abundance about my beliefs and made me go back to my mindfulness training during 2015. And now that I can see this list of questions in retrospection, I can answer my own questioning honestly and in a respectful mode, which I am aware of the moment I cross the threshold of the binational center and private university I work for.
Finally, how do we “embrace” diversity in all sorts of individuals in our work
environment? Well, somehow this question summarizes all of the questions above. And part of the answer to this self-examination is connected to the way we understand “tolerance,” and this was something that Amiris Helena made me reason further. Tolerance is not respect, and it is somehow a forced conduct in our way of being; this can get to a point in which it can burst into aggression and into a highly destructive behavior. Embracing diversity is not tolerating people who think and lead their lives differently; it is a mindful act of respect and acknowledgement of the others, just the way they are. Respect is the key to live a life that embraces diversity in being, feeling, and thinking. Let’s respect others and live peacefully by untying ourselves from the neverquestioned gestalts that shape up a community’s collective unconsciousness. And now when one is asked, “Are you being governed by your beliefs at all times?, one needs to say that I am in a constant and mindful process of questioning and reshaping what is believed and what is simply unreasonable. Beliefs will not help us respect our fellow siblings. And when asked if you are being biased by your community’s (pre)dominant gestalts at all times?, you must answer –once againthat you are re-evaluating what the mastermind behind the collective consciousness is directing us to do when we are walking around the world in autopilot. References Dictionary.Com, LCC. (n.d.). Belief. Obtenido de Dictionary.Com, LCC: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/beliefs?s=t Helena, A., & Rodríguez, S. (2016, August 16'19). Respect vs. Beliefs. 21st Centrury Challenges ABLA 2016 Convention Program . Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico: Instituto Mexicano Norteamericano de Relaciones Culturales. Merriam-Webster.Com. (n.d.). Respect. Obtenido de Meriam-Webster.Com: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respect