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As people gain the tools to work for social change — and find the courage to go public within and between themselves — two things happen: (1) they spread their message to others who are on the same path without knowing it, growing the community of congruence toward critical mass; (2) they attract critics who help and even compel them to check and correct themselves, purging the movement of distortions and making its message clearer and more compelling. This is one of the points at which democratic and fascist movements diverge. Fascist movements kill off their critics, literally or metaphorically, while democratic movements value, invite and even welcome criticism.
— Parker J. Palmer (via azspot)
(via sociolab)