Curtis Mayfield Quotes

Moral teaching should always be used as a gift and not a cudgel.... It is important that we all be able to share our moral viewpoints without hurting each other. That is what is wrong with political discourse today.

If you have learned how to disagree without being disagreeable, then you have discovered the secrete of getting along - whether it be business, family relations, or life itself.

People don't listen when you lecture. No one wants to be talked down to or scolded.

You can't be preachy - kids are allergic to messages.

The worst mistake you can make with children is to talk to them in a condescending, patronising way and think that you can teach them something. You have to understand that it is you who will be learning from them. You have to get into their world and see things from their perspective.

Professor Obama has at least talked to us like we're adults.

Let us agree here today to adopt among ourselves a simple and unwritten rule. We will not rise to criticize someone else's idea unless we are prepared to offer an alternative idea of our own.

You don’t have to be confrontational of aggressive to get to where you want to be or get people to do what you want to do.

The crucial part of a citizens' culture is learning to correct others without mistreating them or generating aggression. We need to create a society in which civility rules over cynicism and apathy.

I don't believe that we should never not talk to people we don't agree with politically. If you can make that person laugh, it's the first step to getting him to listen to change their mind.

You can disagree without being disagreeable. That's always been my mantra.

I don't want just attitude and loud opinion.

Can you love people into truth? Absolutely.

I have ideas, but those ideas could be wrong. The only way that you would change someone's mind is through dialogue, through productive discussion. If you're not going to have productive discussion, what are you going to do?

There will be no name-calling when I disagree with anyone, no disparaging remarks toward anyone, no taking sole credit for collective achievements or blaming others when things go wrong.

Be eager to lend a patient ear to the opinions of others and think long and hard whether whoever finds fault has reason or not to censure you. And if the answer is yes, correct the fault. If no, give the impression that you have not heard him, or if he is a man whom you respect, explain to him why he is mistaken.

It's important to contribute to group discussions, but if all you're thinking about is when you'll get the opportunity to speak - and stressing about whether you'll sound smart - you won't be fully engaged in the conversation.

If you lose an argument it doesn't mean you change your mind but you have to accept the decision.

I'm not necessarily the guy that's going to get in your face and scream at you or anything like that. I'll say what I need to, but I like my actions to show what I'm about.

A lot of people like to trash talk, but I don't. I like to use my movements inside the cage to do my talking.

If there's intelligence behind an opinion, then I'm all for expressing it, but I would never just start a fight with someone for the sake of it - that's just not me.

It's hard to argue with a coach who says, 'I just want you to work.' What can you say to that without making a fool of yourself?

Yeah, you can disagree with someone and still be cool - that's a thing!

If you let things devolve into a shouting match, then it's really difficult to have a discussion, a serious discussion.

I think the firmness in one's stance can be conveyed in a different manner without being indecent or using harsh words.