This is because for them, the future is always bright. But the lack of engagement between people goes beyond politicians alone. In fact, the level of disunity among peoples of the world has never been more distressing.
It will take more time and effort to check such growing disharmony. But to change a situation or environment or constructively deal with any issue, there first needs to be dialogue. Dialogue is a communication tool that allows people to understand other viewpoints without pitting themselves against different perspectives. In dialogue, there is no defending of opinions, and no counterpoints. Instead, we let people talk and present their viewpoints.
Also, people should be allowed to finish their idea without interrupting or asking questions. You listen to understand, not to defend your own point of view. Your goal is to get in their head, and understand their perspective, not to prove they are wrong and you are right. When it is your turn, you talk and are allowed to finish your thoughts. When you give your viewpoint, you do not give your viewpoint relative to others. Dialogue is not a back and forth discussion, not a debate or rebuttal. It is a chance to frame a problem collectively by both independently voicing your perspectives on an issue.
Cleary this is what is needed in a traditional Gambian society. Our people need to engage more on issues that surround us. These include the political, social and economic issues that shape our collective future as Gambians. Dialogue should be used especially when we frame these issues differently. It can always be employed as an effective communication tool to help us understand each other’s point of view. Only from this common understanding can change and resolution grow.
In dialogue, all that seems to matter is bringing people together who would not naturally sit down together and talk about important issues. It is a process to successfully relate to people who are different from you. Their differences can include gender, religion, work departments, cultures, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, or age.
In a way, dialoguing may not be a problem-solving process directly. It is instead a process that builds bridges of understanding between groups that naturally helps to reduce misunderstanding, conflict, and tension and therefore to dissolve problems. And for a peace-loving people like Gambians, we ought to use it in our everyday engagement.
It needs mention that whenever differences are the root cause of problems in a society or organisation, dialogue may be a helpful process. These problems can be inter-personal, such as misunderstanding, tension, or increased polarisation and division or organisational, such as low levels of productivity, high levels of stress, and high rates of turnover.
Dialogue is also a shared tool of awareness due to which opinions are formed, questions are examined and the implications of Islamic or theoretical evidence are concluded.
Therefore, our politicians can it is as tool of consultation, mutual advice and cooperation in righteousness and piety. Errors can be corrected, deficiencies taken care of and advocacy straightened out only when they welcome dialogue and train themselves to accept criticism and revision. When this happens, our dialogues will be educational and systematic, enriching our nation with the requisite wisdom to develop. Gambians have chosen a path towards prosperity and anything that will hold us including disunity should be addressed through the right means. It’s high time that we dialogued.
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