The expression of extreme attitudes currently seems to be the air that we breathe. But does it have to be this way?
Four days after his election, Pope Leo XIV spoke to a group of journalists who had gathered in Rome. The beatitude, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” he said, is a challenge to all people, but journalists especially should try to embody it in their work. What is the link? He emphasized how one communicates is of fundamental importance.
[You are being called to] a different kind of communication, one that does not seek consensus at all costs, does not use aggressive words, does not follow the culture of competition, and never separates the search for truth from the love with which we must humbly seek it.
—Pope Leo XIV to journalists, Rome, May 12, 2025
Toward the end of his remarks, Pope Leo also stated:
“As you know, communication is not only the transmission of information, but it is also the creation of a culture, of human and digital environments that become spaces for dialogue and discussion.”
In our self-assertive, individualistic culture, is this type of communication possible? The value of “humble dialogue” has been highlighted recently in Substacks and podcasts examining the divide across societies and nations. The common thread running throughout is the role played by humility.
So we have to ask: what is humility, and is there a way to increase it in public dialogue?
“It’s only when we talk to each other in a spirit of humility that we can get to any answers.” David Nassar, “The Art of [Humble] Dialogue,” Templeton Ideas Podcast
But what is humility? Dr. Michal Lehmann, a post-doctoral fellow in organizational behavior at Carnegie Mellon University, describes humility as “tolerating the positive and negative of the self in a balanced manner and seeing the entire picture.” Each element of this description is significant, specifically the last. How can we best “see” the whole picture?
Her definition is based on the work of psychologist Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren at Hope College. His work focused on the ability of humility to improve personal relationships, but also to increase the desire to pursue “justice and fairness in society.” According to Van Tongeren:
Given what we know about the benefits of humility in enhancing relationship satisfaction, commitment, and forgiveness, it stands to reason that active and empathic listening is one way to make our relationships healthier and humbler.
“I hear you, but I am not listening!”
—Willy Wonka
Lehmann originally became interested in humility through the work of Guy Itzchakov and colleagues from Jerusalem University. They discovered that a listener’s empathy and non-confrontational approach to a conversation decreased the speakers’ “social anxiety,” which in turn reduced the speakers’ defensive processing—a response to new information contrary to their personal beliefs. This reduction then increased the speakers’ ability to identify their own internal contradictions and decreased the articulation of extreme attitudes. Let’s be clear: the expression of extreme attitudes decreased, and intellectual humility increased when one experienced being heard.
Itchakov’s results and those of Van Tongeren inspired Lehmann to test the relationship between listening and humility. The results from her series of experiments indicated that good listening increased the humility of both the listener and speaker in a conversation. Even more interesting is that the increase in humility was stronger in the listener. In other words, intellectual humility also increased when one attentively listened.
Society could certainly benefit from more of this type of “humble” dialogue through which one can better “see” the whole picture. By listening, our understanding of our own and each other’s perspectives is enlarged. All of us can try to build our capacity to listen attentively to one another, even if it is one small step on the road to resolving conflicts at whatever level of society we find ourselves in.
Now, imagine a global initiative that embodies the fruitfulness of this approach.
Humanity 2.0 is attempting to build a new model of human cooperation. Why is this timely and important? Matthew Sanders, co-founder of Humanity 2.0 Foundation, believes the problems facing humanity require an unprecedented level of cooperation. So if we are all meant to work together, how much more effective will our efforts be if, across the world, all people are living fulfilling lives, using their capabilities to the best of their ability? This type of well-being or “human flourishing” is the focus of Humanity 2.0. It is not merely an academic exercise but one seeking “bold and innovative solutions” to current impediments to human flourishing across the globe. These entrepreneurs, scientists, theologians, and philosophers brought together by this initiative are driven by the belief in the intrinsic value of each person and in the right of individuals to be given opportunities to develop their capabilities, allowing them to flourish.
It is important, then, to ask: What is human flourishing? From its beginning, through conferences and discussion panels, Humanity 2.0 has worked tirelessly to identify the elements of human flourishing as seen through a global lens. The Human Flourishing Forum of 2024 revealed its current working definition:
"Human Flourishing is the ongoing process of realizing one's own good and the common good by fulfilling human capabilities."
The Global Flourishing Study is one of the Foundation’s initiatives to shed light on the state of flourishing worldwide. With 200,000 participants from over 20 geographically and culturally diverse countries, the multi-year longitudinal study asks participants to rate their experience of six domains commonly associated with flourishing or well-being: happiness and life satisfaction, physical and mental health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships, and financial and material stability.
Key takeaways so far are that middle-income countries are “richer” in the categories of meaning, purpose, and relationships; flourishing seems to increase with age; and active religious faith is strongly associated with flourishing.
The principal researchers, Byron R. Johnson, Director of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, and Tyler J. VanderWeele, Director of Harvard University’s Human Flourishing Program, have high hopes for its usefulness. Through a partnership with Gallup, the Center for Open Science (COS), and a group of committed funders, the research data is being made available to the public—educators, policymakers, researchers, and journalists.
Dr. Vanderweele believes the study will provide “foundational knowledge for the promotion of flourishing” that potentially can change how we live and interact with each other. Dr. Johnson highlights the significance of the study and expresses the hope it will be a “working lab”:
With so much tension and uncertainty across the globe, flourishing is something we can all come together on. By focusing on this collectively, we can work towards ways to improve economic development, reduce conflicts, and help communities and countries rediscover their true meaning and purpose.
Though global conflicts continue, when we are armed with humility and the desire to listen, it may be easier to work out differences and envision creative solutions at a local level, whether in our communities, schools, or workplaces. Such humble dialogue may, in fact, be the way to promote a culture of flourishing.
Is creating such a culture a naive hope?
Pope Leo XIV does not think so. He calls it a “culture of encounter,” as did his predecessor, Pope Francis. He is encouraging each of us “to build bridges through dialogue and encounter, joining together as one people, always at peace.” Perhaps when each person is free to use their unique gifts and talents, it can lead not only to personal fulfillment but also contribute to the common good, creating a better world for all of us along the way.