Via Andrew Sullivan:
Yesterday I called a woman’s spouse her boyfriend.
She says, correcting me, “He’s my husband,”
“Oh,” I say, “I no longer recognize marriage.”The impact is obvious. I tried it on a man who has been in a relationship for years,
“How’s your longtime companion, Jill?”
“She’s my wife!”
“Yeah, well, my beliefs don’t recognize marriage.”Fun. And instant, eyebrow-raising recognition. Suddenly the majority gets to feel what the minority feels. In a moment they feel what it’s like to have their relationship downgraded, and to have a much taken-for-granted right called into question because of another’s beliefs.
Ah. The classic Atticus Finch social experiment of “never really understanding a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it”. A highly useful and effective tool.
Fantastic comparison. You hit that spot on. 🙂 And if Gregory Peck said it, than you know its true.