The Way We Talk

When Gestapo officer yelled at Etty Hillesum in a Nazi concentration camp, she thought that the officer had an unhappy childhood or was let down by his girlfriend; however she didn't say anything back. Etty thought empathically  and interpreted this unexpected behaviour. She didn't feel feel indignation. These approaches allows people to stay connected their compassionate nature. He yelled at her because he wanted to use the language that way to convey his message in a way that he thought to be more effective.

Since language has the role of conveying the message, it is really important in our daily lives. As Marshall Rosenberg puts in; if we don't consider the way we talk to be violent, words often lead to hurt and pain, whether for others or ourselves (Rosenberg, 2003, p.3). You can all think of many instances in your daily ritual where you felt hurt because of another person's way of speaking. I personally experience it in my life, maybe this is because humans are emotional beings. I always act and speak in the way that I expect to be treated.  We should all learn to give respect before asking for it.