How do you change someone's mind? There are lots of theories, tricks, and subtle strategies, but nothing is certain. All told, the gentle work best. Nobody likes to be bullied into thinking against their will.
In the U.S. today, we could use a good dose of mind-changing. We have a pandemic of the unvaccinated that continues to have a major impact on all our institutions and is slowly eroding our economy, educational system, and what's left of our democracy.
We have a few million people who are determined not to be vaccinated against COVID19 and who continue to throw fits about any sort of mask mandate. They resist all attempts to do what is necessary for this critical time, so are in need of mind-changing. But how to reach them?
Clearly, this is a value conflict of the first magnitude. They value their right to not be forced to do these things over their obligation to public health. Apparently, the concept of a "social contract" was lost on them somewhere along the way. When the Republican party base politicized the treatment offered by a vaccine, the war was on.
The President speaks like an angry patriarch. A scolding grandfather promising fines and jail time, if the kids don't get with the program. But as the old saying goes, "you catch more bees with honey." All the President is catching are bee stings so far.
Here's where the mind-changing should begin. When the outcome is truly a matter of life and death, the resistant folks need to be reached. How best to do this? Play on their fears, but assuage and empathize with them instead of going against the grain. The best examples with the most favorable outcomes all involve having those most obstinant listen to people they truly identify with or admire. In this case, we'd need to find people who those feeling persecuted by their government would listen to.
Many of these folks are so sensitive to their understanding of the science involved or the true intention of the most vocal politicians that they roll up into a defensive ball. CNN, the news network recently did a piece on people living in the Ozarks, in Arkansas. The resistance is s strong there that even those who are vaccinated are refusing to admit that in public. So what would it take to convince these rural holdouts to change their minds and adjust their attitudes? More accurately who would it take?
In the classic novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield is told by Mr. Antolini, his teacher, "Maybe someday, you'll find out just what size mind you have." In my view, for the U.S.A. that day has come.
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