When one story ends another begins. Today I’m digging deep into my cookie jar to discover the sweet notion of better angels. This quest requires that I listen, question, encounter, and encourage.
The term “better angels” refers to the empathetic, higher moral, and rational qualities within human nature.It is the spirit that promotes kindness, unity, and cooperation, especially during times of conflict. It is our better angel that calls us to awareness and agency when we recognize escalating rhetoric and deepening division. It is both easy and dangerous to choose comfort over engagement, especially when trusting that someone more experienced or powerful will intervene.
Incorporated into President Abraham Lincoln’s 1861 inaugural address and the pending of the Civil War, the reference to “better angels” calls upon people to rise above division. This term is often used to describe the “better” side of a person’s character, or the capacity to act with calm compassion and reasonable judgment. It suggests choosing understanding and grace over hate and hostility. When America stood at the brink of a divided union, Abraham Lincoln alerted her citizens with these words:
“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
A “better angel” refers to the positive, altruistic aspects of human nature - such as empathy, reason, compassion, constructive dialogue, and cooperation - that triumph over selfish or violent impulses. History reveals it’s not always easy to find our “better angels.” Our own civil war is testimony to this.
In a more recent reality, author Steven Pinker wrote “The Better Angels of Our Nature.” Here he speaks of the decline of violence and provides more current examples of better angels:
Conflict Resolution & Empathy
A Vietnam veteran finding peace, or individuals listening to political opponents without trying to change them.
Acts of Kindness
A teenager honoring a deceased parent by volunteering to build homes, or a struggling family sharing their limited resources with neighbors.
Constructive Dialogue
Using techniques like “active listening” and paraphrasing to understand opposing viewpoints, rather than simply reacting to them.
Altruism
Choosing to help rather than harm, even when angry or pressured by societal tensions.
Historical/Societal Trends
The reduction in violence, torture, and slavery over centuries.
Consider the significance of your better angel. That is to say, ask questions, take an interest. Make an effort to understand one another’s perspective and know others for who they are and where they are.
A lot can happen between now and not yet. Remain aware that progress is not just someone else’s responsibility. Democracy requires participation. Join in the search for calm in the chaos. Acknowledge the path that encourages peace and hope. Find your better angel.
The term “better angels” refers to the empathetic, higher moral, and rational qualities within human nature.It is the spirit that promotes kindness, unity, and cooperation, especially during times of conflict. It is our better angel that calls us to awareness and agency when we recognize escalating rhetoric and deepening division. It is both easy and dangerous to choose comfort over engagement, especially when trusting that someone more experienced or powerful will intervene.
Incorporated into President Abraham Lincoln’s 1861 inaugural address and the pending of the Civil War, the reference to “better angels” calls upon people to rise above division. This term is often used to describe the “better” side of a person’s character, or the capacity to act with calm compassion and reasonable judgment. It suggests choosing understanding and grace over hate and hostility. When America stood at the brink of a divided union, Abraham Lincoln alerted her citizens with these words:
“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
A “better angel” refers to the positive, altruistic aspects of human nature - such as empathy, reason, compassion, constructive dialogue, and cooperation - that triumph over selfish or violent impulses. History reveals it’s not always easy to find our “better angels.” Our own civil war is testimony to this.
In a more recent reality, author Steven Pinker wrote “The Better Angels of Our Nature.” Here he speaks of the decline of violence and provides more current examples of better angels:
Conflict Resolution & Empathy
A Vietnam veteran finding peace, or individuals listening to political opponents without trying to change them.
Acts of Kindness
A teenager honoring a deceased parent by volunteering to build homes, or a struggling family sharing their limited resources with neighbors.
Constructive Dialogue
Using techniques like “active listening” and paraphrasing to understand opposing viewpoints, rather than simply reacting to them.
Altruism
Choosing to help rather than harm, even when angry or pressured by societal tensions.
Historical/Societal Trends
The reduction in violence, torture, and slavery over centuries.
Consider the significance of your better angel. That is to say, ask questions, take an interest. Make an effort to understand one another’s perspective and know others for who they are and where they are.
A lot can happen between now and not yet. Remain aware that progress is not just someone else’s responsibility. Democracy requires participation. Join in the search for calm in the chaos. Acknowledge the path that encourages peace and hope. Find your better angel.
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