This episode is based on one of the most important books I have ever read: NonViolent Communication – A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg Nonviolent Communication is one of the most powerful ways of speaking with people that I have ever come across. It eliminates useless strategies like judgment and proving yourself right and instead gives you absolutely tactical techniques to get the things you need for happiness for yourself and your interlocutor. NVC is not a new, gimmicky set of dictum. It boils down the philosophies of Stoicism, the psychological approaches of CBT and cognitive psychology. Marshall Rosenberg was a psychologist trained in the classical analytic, but found it unsatisfying and for the most part, unhelpful. Speaking Giraffe vs. Speaking JackalNVC is not really a theory or a guide to behavior–it is a language!!! Giraffes only hear feelings & needs, never thoughts Jackal language is about judging, criticizing, analyzing, moralizing and accusing. When we feel unfairly treated, accused or when we want to impose our wishes, we tend to use the language of the jackal. Jackal language is separating. Giraffe language is unifying. The SystemThere are essentially two major parts–The four component speech creation and emergency empathy The Four Components1. Observation without EvaluationThere’s nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so.Shakespeare in HamletAvoid generalization, only specifics (generally good to avoid the past as well) Separate the observation from the evaluation or better yet, eliminate the evaluation You are the most inconsiderate person–you are always late J Krishnamurti: “observing without evaluating is the highest form of human intelligence” See page 30 for more on pitfalls in observing 2. FeelingInternal emotional states vs. thoughts/judgment If you can replace I feel with I think–then it is not a feeling If I feel is followed by: that, like, or as if then it is not a feeling If I feel is followed by a name or pronoun (whether he, you, or I), then it is not a feeling Eliminate the feel–and see if it still works I feel sad to I’m sad works. I feel Could you feel it alone on a desert island–Ignored is not a feeling, unimportant is not a feeling, resentment is not a feeling b/c they require another to judge/act. It is a thought about how someone else is judging us p.45 has a list of positive and negative feelings Stoicism/CBT–We are the only ones responsible for our feelings We are responsible for everything we do (Replace I have to with I choose to) Do not connect the feelings to the observations through cause and effect. They relate–they are not caused by. When I observe X, I feel Y Even break it down to good/bad People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them –Epictetus “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” from “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare 3. NeedsRosenberg identifies human needs as safety, understanding, respect, warmth, autonomy, etc. When needs are expressed indirectly through assessments and...
