How often do you seriously engage those with whom you may deeply disagree? It’s not always our fault if we don’t (though it’s usually to our detriment) because we live in a world where we can easily surround ourselves, through media and technology, with opinions and ideas that mirror our beliefs.
But however easy it is, that’s the opposite of wisdom, from our perspective at TWD. Engaging people who hold different opinions – at least occasionally – is calisthenics for our spirit and our intellect. It stretches our minds and opens our hearts, as much as a good workout stretches our muscles and opens our lungs. Just like being in good physical shape contributes to overall happiness, being in good intellectual shape does the same.
That’s why I’ve become a guest on Newsmax TV, as well as one of their online columnists. We’ll share the best of that content here at TWD, and whether or not you agree with what you see and read, we hope you’ll be wiser and enjoy the experience.
Earlier this week, I joined host Steve Malzberg for a discussion about recent political issues that have made national news. As you spend a few minutes with these remarks and insights, think about where your opinion lies:
We invite you to add your comments, questions and observations below! And for more videos from The Wisdom Daily, please click here.
Brad Hirschfield is the co-founder and co-executive editor of The Wisdom Daily. A rabbi, Brad has been featured on ABC’s Nightline UpClose, PBS’s Frontline, Fox News and National Public Radio. He wrote a long-standing column, “For God’s Sake,” for the Washington Post, and has also written for The Huffington Post and Beliefnet.com. He authored the book, You Don?t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism. Brad also serves as President of Clal, The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a leadership training institute, think tank and resource center in New York City.