I think the wrong kind of power (i.e., what most of us consider power most of the time) makes listening unnecessary. Maybe it exists in part to make listening unnecessary. Listening implies a willingness to change and grow; it implies as well that the speaker might have something that could assist with that change or growth. This implication can be threatening to someone who (or to a group that) has invested a lot in something that change or growth might hurt or destroy.
Mandela's listening and learning reminds me of James C. Scott's analysis of subordinate groups in his book Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts. The subordinate groups learn to learn all about the dominating group in order to have a better chance of surviving. The dominating group can afford to know little or nothing about the subordinate group, and most of what it thinks it knows about the subordinate group is wrong. (This phenomenon sometimes makes me think of this rather obscure verse from Paul: "Others are lavishing attention on you, but without sincerity: what they really want is to isolate you so that you may lavish attention on them." - Galatians 4:17 REB. Paul perhaps warns of a power play intended to make the powerful a necessary object of the Galatians' study.)
While our two-party system hasn't (or hasn't yet) resolved itself nationally into dominating and subordinate groups, its dualistic thinking leads to ideology, which I think is also not conducive to listening.
Thanks for your insight! And for introducing me to James C. Scott and "Domination..." Very helpful.
I think the wrong kind of power (i.e., what most of us consider power most of the time) makes listening unnecessary. Maybe it exists in part to make listening unnecessary. Listening implies a willingness to change and grow; it implies as well that the speaker might have something that could assist with that change or growth. This implication can be threatening to someone who (or to a group that) has invested a lot in something that change or growth might hurt or destroy.
Mandela's listening and learning reminds me of James C. Scott's analysis of subordinate groups in his book Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts. The subordinate groups learn to learn all about the dominating group in order to have a better chance of surviving. The dominating group can afford to know little or nothing about the subordinate group, and most of what it thinks it knows about the subordinate group is wrong. (This phenomenon sometimes makes me think of this rather obscure verse from Paul: "Others are lavishing attention on you, but without sincerity: what they really want is to isolate you so that you may lavish attention on them." - Galatians 4:17 REB. Paul perhaps warns of a power play intended to make the powerful a necessary object of the Galatians' study.)
While our two-party system hasn't (or hasn't yet) resolved itself nationally into dominating and subordinate groups, its dualistic thinking leads to ideology, which I think is also not conducive to listening.