There's a conscious umph towards more high-quality and structured content. The hope is that trolling, animosity, and such babble gets shoved aside, and more attention is shifted towards our new Protestant work ethic. — Wallows
I have noticed this as of late although I'm curious as to why you describe it as Protestant? I mean, speaking personally I'm a baptised Salvationist and both my Grandparents on my fathers side are Majors and my mother and father worked in Homeless Hostels for the Salvation Army too so for me this probably true but to a lesser extent than my family as I diverged from my families religion at an early age because of social difficulties with the other Sunday School Children at the Army hall. So while the protestant work ethic is true of me, I'm interested to hear why you think the same shift is happening collectively on the forum?
@Pfhorrest The principle of Charity I think is one of the most helpful concepts you've shared with me and others here. I simply love it, It's completely my style.
My own diplomatic style tends to follow the concept of mirroring. I can explain why this became almost pathological at one point for me until philosophy steered me clear.
Due to being autistic and being diagnosed with Aspergers at 23 which is considered a slightly late diagmosis; I recognised a need for me to admit my own social shortcomings and focus on learning how to engage with people differently as mirroring is an extremely emotionally taxing and stressful way to go about life.
I can explain the why because of my formative years and adult friendships. I watched and read a lot of sci fi; Star Trek, Stargate, Star Wars and my favourite of them all and potentially the most underrated science fiction franchise of all time... FarScape! I've actually watched Stargate a lot more than FarScape as the former was the family watch whereas only me and my Dad spent time watching FarScape together consistently.
Most of my role models were fictional and the ones I adored were the diplomats from these franchises as well as the other styles of diplomacy by the other roles of the core cast and others. The best diplomats were portrayed as the ones who understood their counterparts in dialogues own styles of diplomacy and mirrored them. StarFleet from Star Trek really went deep into this with Next Gen, DS9 and Voyager although my emotional centre really tries to capture the duality of Spock while avoiding Trying to think like Data.
One of my closest friends description of his Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him, was to liken him to a mirror reflecting everyone back at themselves and it was a theme to be described thusly for many prophets. Prophet Joseph is my favourite though, his story is so tragically beautiful and influential to me in most of its forms but my friend shared my now favourite version which is Islam's. Same with their version of the first miracle performed by christ which was to speak as a new born child in diplomatic defense of his mother Mary who was probably going to be stoned to death for adultery.
I had to come at learning more advanced social skills in a very technical and curated manner with a self guided curriculum as an adult. Like everyone, as I grew up without direct meta lessons and learning in socialising I grew up with a mixed bag. However this isn't some thing unique to autistic people in my opinion.
So yeah, Mirroring I'd say is more of a defense mechanism of the socially inept/ignorant however if used fluidly and at the right time it can be a powerful tool for diplomacy so long as you don't mistake it for being the only one. Which brings me to Bruce Lee's Philosophy of water;
Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.
which to me says that the only thing one should be rigid in, is valuing fluidity and diversity within ones self.
As within, so without.
Anyway, everyone I will contribute and respond to more of the comments here after the weekend. Family time.
Have a good weekend all!