I was so naïve.
You can argue in good faith that the number in the picture is a 6 and you can argue in good faith that the number is a 9 IF that’s what you see and believe.
But I was so naïve. I assumed others value good faith also. Not so. And that belief made me vulnerable to gaslighting.
The world is filled with bad faith arguments… particularly in politics where people lie with impunity these days. Sometimes lies so transparent they would be laughable if they weren’t so dangerous.
So I will ask:
- Is that a good faith argument?
Or - Do you believe the people who are saying that are speaking in good faith?
There is no inherent magic in these phrases but they can break a trance at times. At least it breaks mine to realize that just because they say something doesn’t mean they believe it.
It hurts my heart that people manipulate my trust. But I have a shadow and I’ve done it too. Less and less now, I’m pleased to say. But it happens.
These days gaslighting is rampant in the world and very rare in my personal life. And that’s how I want to keep things.