We human beings are very selective in what we hear. The information we hear, we subconsciously pass through our mind’s filters. Things we dislike are deleted; anything we do not properly understand is distorted; and anything that does not fit in our world is discarded.
This may explain why we find it difficult to accept the stranger, the foreigner, the one who is different from us. A fairer way of listening to the stranger might be to become an active listener, move closer to the stranger and then lend him or her your ear. Otherwise we will always dismiss, misunderstand or even demonise them. To read more click here.