In his recent message for World Communications Day Francis seems to go beyond an accepted scholarly concept of communication. In fact some discerning readers see a Coperican revolution in his approach to communication.
An Italian media expert Chiara Giaccardi said there’s a small “Copernican revolution” in the message in terms of defining communication not as “the transmission of content” but rather “the reduction of distance.” (Quote found in an NCR article)
Good communication helps us to grow closer, to know one another better, and ultimately, to grow in unity. This is so much more than “the transmission of of information from a sender to a receiver”
The words of the Pope … “We are challenged to be people of depth, attentive to what is happening around us and spiritually alert. To dialogue means to believe that the “other” has something worthwhile to say, and to entertain his or her point of view and perspective. Engaging in dialogue does not mean renouncing our own ideas and traditions, but the claim that they alone are valid or absolute.”
What a difference this would make in all forms of discourse – political and personal.
It would certainly replace the “defensive listening” whereby we listen for the flaws in another persons point of view instead of recognizing that the other may see something we don’t see.
Maybe lyricists Rodgers and Hammerstein got it right in 1951 when they wrote the lyrics “Getting To Know You”
It’s a very ancient saying
But a true and honest thought
That if you become a teacher
By your pupils you’ll be taught
As a teacher I’ve been learning
You’ll forgive me if I boast
And I’ve now become an expert
On the subject I like most
Getting to know you
Getting to know you
Getting to know all about you
Getting to like you
Getting to hope you like me
Getting to know you
Putting it my way
But nicely
You are precisely
My cup of tea
Getting to know you
Getting to know all about you
Getting to like you
Getting to hope you like me
Getting to know you
Putting it my way
But nicely
You are precisely
My cup of tea
Getting to know you
Getting to feel free and easy
When I am with you
Getting to know what to say
Haven’t you noticed
Suddenly I’m bright and breezy?
Because of all the beautiful and new
Things I’m learning about you
Day by day
Getting to know you
Getting to feel free and easy
When I am with you
Getting to know what to say
Haven’t you noticed
Suddenly I’m bright and breezy?
Because of all the beautiful and new
Things I’m learning about you
Day by day
A university chancellor faced with the opposite responds…
http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2014/01/30/chancellor-u-illinois-responds-twitter-incident