Defensiveness or Mind-stupid Stuff

"Strength is needed in every truly human conversation. But, it is especially necessary in the dialogue in which the special word is addressed to us, the word that makes us face who we are, that reveals to us the destructive and superficial in us ... This special word ... is always a threat to us. We are tempted to draw up our defense against it. We tend to feel that if we listen to it we may not survive the judgment contained in it ... [Whenever] man is called ... to open himself to the truth, then the power to respond is not something that can be taken for granted. ... On the contrary, a man finds present in himself a hundred hesitations to respond, to act, and to be in a new way." - Gregor Baum

I was reading about people skills and this quote was used to demonstrate that we humans will remain in a defensive mode when in any sensitive communication with another human. I find this also true with close relations, the tendency to defend is there and triggers mind-stupid stuff. As I travel this path I find that it is an absolute miracle that humans have survived all these centuries. I suspect as our technology grows we may find that survival is questionable.

Fear, anger and defensiveness seems to me a survival instinct encoded within our DNA strands - sigh. We need so many tools and knowledge to overcome these obstacles to a harmonious life it ain't funny. I can truly say that if not for my efforts in karate-jutsu-do I may never have found this out for myself and also feel strongly I may not have made it to age fifty-eight. I can really express how it is actually saving my life and more importantly my marriage.

Phew, who would have known in the beginning at that dojo in 1979 at Camp Hansen?