Dialectical, by simple definition: Two seemingly oppositional views can exist at the same time.
I’ve been thinking about the concept of dialectical thinking often in my conversations with others over the past couple of months and I have been noticing so often the human brain’s gravitation towards black and white thinking.
A few weeks ago when having a discussion with someone about some abuse that had been occurring within an organization, this individual responded by saying “but I’ve had wonderful memories with them and they’ve done good work.”
Organizations and people can engage in both good deeds, as well as contribute to abuse.
I think about the discussions I’ve had (as many of you probably have also had), regarding black lives matter vs. all lives matter.
“Black lives matter” does not mean other lives don’t matter. Black lives can matter while other lives also matter.
My own personal pet peeve in conversations: “But I’m not a racist. I have a black partner/child/friend/etc”
You can have black loved ones and still be racist.
On an emotional level: You can feel and experience two seemingly contradictory emotions at the same time.
Both joy and sadness at relational loss, both frustration and love towards someone, both excitement and grief at an upcoming change.
In order for us to stretch our minds and to engage in a more accurate reality of our inner and outer workings, I believe it to be a necessary practice to regularly challenge our draw towards black-and-white thinking and to replace it with more dialectical thinking.
