Angelus News | April 19-26, 2019 | Vol. 4 No. 15

Father Arne Panula, former vicar of Opus Dei in the U.S., poses at the Washington Mall in an undated photo. He died in 2017.
citizens genuinely will what is good
for us, we can have the kinds of policy
debates that will allow us to solve the
many challenges our country faces.
Lopez: Why is it so important not to
misdiagnose the contempt all around
as anger?
Brooks: There’s an important psychological
difference between anger
and contempt. When you get angry at
someone — maybe a friend, a spouse,
or a colleague — what that says is, “I
care about this, and I’m mad because
I see that something is wrong and
want to fix it.”
Contempt, on the other hand, says,
“You are beneath caring about.” Anger
ultimately helps us reconcile, but contempt
makes permanent enemies.
This is a critical distinction with
respect to America’s political environment
because it shows that there’s
nothing inherently wrong with being
angry and disagreeing, but that if we
want to bring the country back together,
contempt is the surest way to keep
it from happening.
Lopez: You write, “None of us has a
monopoly on truth.” Is your listening
to the other side’s advice going to
work when the other side has contempt
for you and facts?
Brooks: The answer to this question
is slightly counterintuitive, because
what we need to understand is that
contempt is an opportunity — an
opportunity to change your own heart
through your actions, no matter how
you feel about the people with whom
you disagree.
The contempt we see all around us is
discouraging, but treating others with
love and respect is your only shot at
persuading people who think differently
than you.
No one has ever been hated or
insulted into agreement, and we can
all be more effective in our disagreements
with others if we keep that in
mind. This insight has really changed
my life.
Lopez: You write that “[w]e need
national healing every bit as much as
economic growth.” And everyone can
truly lead on this front?
Brooks: Certainly. We need better
leadership at the state and national
level and in media, to be sure, but
what this book calls for is a personal
transformation. If we turn toward
greater love and happiness, it will be
reflected in our market and voting
choices. The “leaders” will follow.
Lopez: You describe gratitude as a
“contempt killer.” Is it also essential to
love and any progress?
Brooks: Not only to love and progress,
but happiness as well. There’s
no shortage of research showing that
when we choose to express gratitude,
we become happier as people. So at a
practical level, showing gratitude for
others will make you more persuasive
and effective, but it will also improve
your individual well-being.
Lopez: Your book is about the
culture of contempt in politics, but
practically speaking, does everyone
have enemies? Do you have handy
spiritual practices for keeping yourself
in check around them outside the
political/policy battlefield?
Brooks: In a way, the title of the
book may be a little misleading. My
point is not actually that we are surrounded
by enemies, but rather that
we incorrectly assume we are surrounded
by enemies (who are in fact
just fellow Americans who disagree
with us on policy and politics).
But our responses to those who disagree
with us should be informed by
the exhortation of Christ in Matthew
5:44 to love our enemies and pray for
those who persecute us. This is not
only the morally right thing to do; it’s
also a highly effective strategy.
Throughout history, we’ve seen that
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24 • ANGELUS • April 19-26, 2019