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Listening is a wonderful tool to learn and it works at all levels. I had the wonderful opportunity this past Saturday of talking to a young man about daily life. He told me about his needs and wishes and about the needs in his extended family, friends and local community in general. His neighbors were looking for someone to teach them about how to repair their houses. Coming from a different culture people find it difficult to interpret the laws, customs and main things to do. Constructing a house is different here where wood or wood like material is used and most things have a definite pattern for assembling. That is simple for someone born and raised here, but not for someone from a different culture or sometimes a lower socio-economical class. Many times the way out of poverty is by listening to the needs of others. When planners approach the “quality of life” agenda, they will also be able to raise the quality of life of the disadvantaged. When the so called leaders gather and ‘think’ on behalf of others, they are missing half of the equation. First they need to listen to the community itself, so their interests will be represented. If the grass root approach is omitted many plans will not hear from community people, who in turn are tired of the ‘leader’ thinking for them but then are expected to applaud their advice, good intentions and plans. The young man I listened to, was telling the people in the room how life is for another sector of the population and how they don’t find real answers to their questions or needs. They are not begging for anything. They are asking things like- “Where can they go for GED classes, or English classes?” “Why aren’t the schools having those free classes anymore?” “Where can they learn about building codes? Who can teach them about home maintenance?” Where can the women learn local ways of cooking, baking, freezing and canning? Where can they go for answers? Sometimes the same lack of listening happens at home, when the younger ones need explanations and the parents give answers according to their age and ‘experience’. Since they are not been heard, they go out looking for answers, or they rebel against the rules imposed on them without a dialogue. Dialogue implies listening carefully, trying to understand what is been said and sometimes what was left unsaid. And another level that could really benefit from listening is politics. During the current electoral debates and campaign, there is this distinct feeling of people not having been heard for many years. Many of them are tired and looking for quick answers to their pleas. Every electoral period the nominees exchange insults and personal attacks that do not confront the problems that especially poor people have. The economy that turned against the middle class during the recession has not made enough changes for those who were greatly affected by the downturn. Big corporations and big business that do not want to be taxed, take care of health care, social security, or better educational opportunity for young peoples are those who are being heard. The disenfranchised are visited on political tours so they can ‘meet’ the candidates for local, state and national positions. The politicians come to tell of their plans and promises, but they rarely listen to what the people have to say. Who are you going to vote for? Do they reflect the change that you hope for? How are they going to change the situation, have they given specific plans instead of promises? Are we going to be listened to, or told what to do no matter what?
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