Based on the idea of "The Listen Lady" from an episode of The Simpsons.
NOT A Crisis Line
This public service would be for people who are just having "everyday" sorts of problems and need somebody to listen to them and give them suggestions and feedbacks (just like a friend would).
Crisis lines are fine, but for people who are not having a "crisis", but just need a friend to talk to and have some back-and-forth, Crisis lines are simply not the right format.
Crisis volunteers cannot give many suggestions,
they certainly can't talk about their own life experiences to offer perspective,
they can't enjoy a good chat on the phone,
they are there to help someone through a "crisis".
Sometimes, lots of times, people just need a friend to talk to, not a "Crisis Listener".
Volunteers
Volunteers for this service would be people who are just naturally very friendly and kind and love to listen and give genuine feedback.
www.Color Code.com
Volunteers can take the Color Code Personality Test to find out what their Primary Motivation is :
- RED (Motive: POWER)—These are the power wielders. Power: the ability to move from point A to point B and get things done, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of vision and leadership and generally are responsible, decisive, proactive and assertive.
- BLUE (Motive: INTIMACY)—These are the do-gooders. Intimacy: connecting, creating quality relationships and having purpose, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of quality and service and are generally loyal, sincere, and thoughtful.
- WHITE (Motive: PEACE)—These are the peacekeepers. Peace: the ability to stay calm and balanced even in the midst of conflict, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of clarity and tolerance and are generally kind, adaptable, and good-listeners.
- YELLOW (Motive: Fun)—These are the fun lovers. Fun: the joy of living life “in the moment”, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of enthusiasm and optimism and are generally charismatic, spontaneous, and sociable.
Volunteers and Callers can both propose speaking to a person of a certain primary color when they feel they need that perspective.
Pass It On
If a volunteer or the caller feels that they need to talk to someone else, they are passed to another volunteer, and are passed and passed until they feel better.
"We've been talking for the past 15 minutes and I think you would really benefit from talking to my colleague Kate. She's had a lot of experiences like yours and I think she could offer you some really helpful feedback. Shall I pass you to her?"
The Principle of 7 to 12
I think 7 to 12 are magical numbers in that they feel like the right number of people one needs to talk to before one feels easily capable of making a decision.
When you are confronted with a difficult decision, it feels important to get many perspectives and ideas before choosing a path.
A person reaches a point where they feel they have :
1. Gotten things completely off their chest
2. They have a lot of ideas and advice to consider and reflect upon
I think consulting with between 7 and 12 people,
hearing between 7 to 12 different points of view,
is what the human organism feels comfortable with processing,
what the human organism feels satisfied with.
And, we know, it is very important for a person to feel satisfied when they make a decision.
A Vital Service
Not everyone has friends they feel they can talk to,
this vitally important service would provide everyone access to friendly, kind people who enjoy listening to other people's problems and giving them heartfelt advice.
Extremely Popular
I do not doubt that this service would become INCREDIBLY popular and demonstrate to our society,
that the vast majority of us feel very disconnected from each other and that we can't genuinely communicate how we are really feeling to each other.
Creatures Of Truth
Human Beings are Creatures of Truth.
Truth is our natural state.
It is vitally important to be able to tell someone personal truth.
Lies are not nourishing,
quite the opposite.
Our society,
Our world,
Our history,
of lying being expected,
of lying being 'normal' because everyone did it,
is not the path to a healthy and happy species.
This phone service will give everyone the chance to easily connect with someone with whom they can speak the truth.
Slogan
"When you need a friend to talk to about 'whatever' we're always there to lend an ear, a telephone-shoulder to cry on, and advice on how to make things better."
"We WANT to hear about your problems."
"No matter how seemingly small or mind-blowingly big your problem, we want to hear about it, and help you solve it so you can get back to living life."
"Sometimes, you just need a friend to talk to."
"Don't keep your problems to yourself.
Don't bury your problems inside.
Tell us about your problems.
We're here for you, and we'll help you solve them."
"You might not think your problem is important,but we do.
Please call if you need to talk with a friend."
"An individual is extremely capable on their own, but they can't do everything.
When you need someone to help provide you with additional perspective, give us a call."
Part Of The "War On Loneliness And Isolation" Campaign
This could be part of the Government's initiative to address the root problem of loneliness in our segregated species and society.
FOR THE RECORD, I use the word "war" as a label only, because it is a very popular way of explaining how issues are being addressed.
Personally I think the label is primitive and unhelpful, but, I think it "fits" the current state of human evolution.
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