The missing component
Alaric Naudé, Ph.D. EdD
Director (Academic Board)
Global Listening Centre.
Every day the world becomes more polarised in a mad dash toward anarchy and disorder.
Polarised by religious, racial, ethnic and political ideologies, many individuals are not open to communication.
The Global Listening Centre (www.globallisteningcentre.org) is an academic body that is comprised of noteworthy academics who globally assemble from various fields and who have decided to put aside their differences of outlook or opinion in order to stave back the encroaching chaos and foster communication by listening.
It is hoped that by encouraging listening in academia, giving input to a variety of opinions and being able to have a platform for the interchange of ideas, that it can avoid many of the misunderstandings that cause damage and pain to society and individuals.
By encouraging listening, the Global Listening Centre also seeks to encourage humility and openness to the interchange of knowledge as well as cross cultural expertise in a global society.
The Global Listening Centre is apolitical, non religious and does not endorse any particular movement, although individual members are free to hold their own convictions and beliefs some of which may conflict with other individual members.
The crux of the organisation leans upon open communication and listening to others. A great number of societal woes are concentrated on a breakdown of communication and especially the area of listening. Where differences of opinion occur, individuals must be open to listening to the other party, not necessarily to agree but to understand the mindset and motivation of others.
This is not to say that the Global Listening Centre is open to extremist or damaging views with many members actively being involved in efforts to help reduce radical and extremist rhetoric through the fostering of open dialogue.
Then what can you do? Whether an academic or not, you can take time to listen to and try to understand those who have different views, have suffered discrimination or are suffering from mental illness or depression. Listening is an empathetic course of action and enables people to cope with many of the difficulties they face.
If you are an academic, you might consider lending your expertise to this non profit organisation and assist in improving Listening related practice as well as literature.
You may wish to give lectures on listening, write articles on the subject, reach out and mention our work on public platforms such as radio and TV when invited for interviews and so forth. Every effort counts and is appreciated.
As academics, none of us have arrived at the point of profession where we are now without the help and support of at least one other individual. True, hard work, dedication and effort were required, but in the end, it was inevitably not ONLY by our singular effort. Please consider giving back to society and becoming a role model for better listening.
