Reply To: Exercise 5: Write Others’ Beliefs and Write Society’s Beliefs
Evelyn Wallace: The Beliefs of Others
-Did you notice any trends?
I noticed that I have rather different views on most things than mainstream society. I noticed confirmation on my underlying theory on humanity: everyone thinks they’re the good guy. I also noticed that I was more likely to notice the beliefs behind someone’s “irrational” (to me, pre-reflection) behavior than their “rational” behavior. This exercise was usually immediately preceded by some reflexive thought like “that’s silly” or “why would anyone ever…?”
-How did identifying beliefs feel?
It made me feel a sense of compassion. I even practiced this exercise while watching (well-constructed) fictional narratives: what did that character believe such that they acted in that particular way? For what it’s worth, I also practiced with non-fictional historic narratives, and it helped me articulate what I’ve been trying to articulate for a while. Many Germans post WWI believed they had been unfairly punished by the rest of Europe and they believed Hitler offered a pathway back toward national pride and a sense of belonging. It felt humanizing to be able identify: yes, I can understand how people in those circumstances believe those things (and then why they behaved accordingly).
-Did you feel like you developed a skill?
Yes. I feel like I can now put myself in someone’s place, to the extent that I am able. This exercise helped me notice all human behavior—even/ especially the stuff I used to find legitimately puzzling— and get to a point where I can see (to quote Ringo on David Letterman answering a question about why Michael Jackson might have held a baby over a balcony) how “it probably seemed like a good idea at the time.”
-How accurate do you think you were?
Of course I think I was pretty accurate. Maybe we all think that about our own performance?
-Did you feel differently about people when you thought about their beliefs?
Yes. As mentioned earlier, I felt more compassion toward folks once I paired their behavior with the likely belief.
-Does reading people’s beliefs make you think differently about leadership?
I’m not sure yet.
-Where and how might you apply your experience in the rest of your life?
Practicing the skill of assessing the beliefs of others has already helped me be less emotionally activated by the seemingly irrational, detrimental, harmful, and even genocidal behavior of my fellow human. In other words, I can apply this in moments of frustration or outrage to bring myself some peace of mind. I imagine this will apply to how I lead people, as well, I’m just not at the state to be able to articulate that yet.