Dmitry…I can only aspire to be as open and fair minded as you. You’re a true diplomat. I am holding onto my view regarding the convoy and have chosen to “not discuss it” with family that thinks differently, as they have held onto their opposite view as well. Perhaps with time, we can be as open to listening as you are
You are very inspiring, Dmitry. I have struggled to open conversations on this topic (and others) but always feel deflated afterwards. Thanks for sharing this experience and encouraging us to keep the conversation open.
In one of my next substacks, I'll share with all of you my "winning communication strategies" to talk to people like P. I found there are still plenty of points on which they will gladly agree with you, even on topics borderlining their "religious beliefs" on "covid vaccine saving millions of lives"
Rule 1: Appreciate where their belief comes from - if their are elderly, if they had friend/relatives who died of COVID, that already gives a very different perspective from yours
Rule 2: TABOO: DONT talk about covid vaccines or vaxine mandates with this type of people at all!.
Rule 3: Start from any current news related to (increasing) lack of transparency and accountability, (add) industry interference / lobbying / corruption
Rule 4: (Gently introduce the topic of WHO and some controversial topics that polarized society) Dont talk about covid vaccines or vaxine mandates BUT Talk about lock-downs instead! And then ask them if they know which the only country in Western countries / EU that DID NOT impose WHO-recommended lackdown? If they don't know (most likely) - Give them hint: It's one of Scandinavian countries? - They still not sure - Then Tell them it's Sweden (and now you can start reminding them how much bad publicity in all MSM was there at that time about Sweden)
And then you share your stories of traumas caused my lockdowns - on local small business and especially children (I have close friends, who child (grade 6) was happy going to school every day - and it all changed once and for good - "most damaged generation" (some called it)
And then you ask - which country in EU (Skandinavia) has the smallest excess deaths since 2022?
These people normally dont know any such "irrelevant details". So you can tell them it's also Sweden.
Only Then you can also mention that Sweden is also the country that had smallest percentage of "boostered" people - according to official data (against WHO recommendations) They have very high 2-dose vaccination (something like 95%, but it was all done in 2021, very few shots were administered since Omicron)
Rule 5: Focus solely on children - they should not have the same medical needs as elderly, and there practically no deaths from covid among children anyway - many of them got vaccinated under the premise that to stop the transmission of horrible disease on their grandparents and others in weak people in the community (which is what was told at the time and which is proven to be false)
Nice piece. A couple of thoughts - one could agree that hauling the trucks out would certainly have ended things - logistical impossibility aside; Trish Wood may be right-wing by some measures and it'd be interesting to find out which ones were the most glaring in P's eyes.
I have had similar conversations with family members and co-workers in Ottawa. It's quite something.
Dmitry you are such a deeply loving man. Your profound, yet gentle passion for truth and kindness in equal measure come across with the scent of hope - as much as I try to avoid that word, you are the rare person who re-ignites my desire to truly connect with those it seems impossible to reach. It pains one so to not be heard and you express that in your beautiful communications without ever saying that - at least that's how I read it or that's what it evokes in me I guess.
Dmitry…I can only aspire to be as open and fair minded as you. You’re a true diplomat. I am holding onto my view regarding the convoy and have chosen to “not discuss it” with family that thinks differently, as they have held onto their opposite view as well. Perhaps with time, we can be as open to listening as you are
The gap is huge, but we have no other choice. We must find a way to bridge it.
You are very inspiring, Dmitry. I have struggled to open conversations on this topic (and others) but always feel deflated afterwards. Thanks for sharing this experience and encouraging us to keep the conversation open.
In one of my next substacks, I'll share with all of you my "winning communication strategies" to talk to people like P. I found there are still plenty of points on which they will gladly agree with you, even on topics borderlining their "religious beliefs" on "covid vaccine saving millions of lives"
Rule 1: Appreciate where their belief comes from - if their are elderly, if they had friend/relatives who died of COVID, that already gives a very different perspective from yours
Rule 2: TABOO: DONT talk about covid vaccines or vaxine mandates with this type of people at all!.
Rule 3: Start from any current news related to (increasing) lack of transparency and accountability, (add) industry interference / lobbying / corruption
Rule 4: (Gently introduce the topic of WHO and some controversial topics that polarized society) Dont talk about covid vaccines or vaxine mandates BUT Talk about lock-downs instead! And then ask them if they know which the only country in Western countries / EU that DID NOT impose WHO-recommended lackdown? If they don't know (most likely) - Give them hint: It's one of Scandinavian countries? - They still not sure - Then Tell them it's Sweden (and now you can start reminding them how much bad publicity in all MSM was there at that time about Sweden)
And then you share your stories of traumas caused my lockdowns - on local small business and especially children (I have close friends, who child (grade 6) was happy going to school every day - and it all changed once and for good - "most damaged generation" (some called it)
And then you ask - which country in EU (Skandinavia) has the smallest excess deaths since 2022?
These people normally dont know any such "irrelevant details". So you can tell them it's also Sweden.
Only Then you can also mention that Sweden is also the country that had smallest percentage of "boostered" people - according to official data (against WHO recommendations) They have very high 2-dose vaccination (something like 95%, but it was all done in 2021, very few shots were administered since Omicron)
Rule 5: Focus solely on children - they should not have the same medical needs as elderly, and there practically no deaths from covid among children anyway - many of them got vaccinated under the premise that to stop the transmission of horrible disease on their grandparents and others in weak people in the community (which is what was told at the time and which is proven to be false)
TBC
Nice piece. A couple of thoughts - one could agree that hauling the trucks out would certainly have ended things - logistical impossibility aside; Trish Wood may be right-wing by some measures and it'd be interesting to find out which ones were the most glaring in P's eyes.
I have had similar conversations with family members and co-workers in Ottawa. It's quite something.
Dmitry you are such a deeply loving man. Your profound, yet gentle passion for truth and kindness in equal measure come across with the scent of hope - as much as I try to avoid that word, you are the rare person who re-ignites my desire to truly connect with those it seems impossible to reach. It pains one so to not be heard and you express that in your beautiful communications without ever saying that - at least that's how I read it or that's what it evokes in me I guess.