“Why We Can’t & How We Can – Just All Get Along” by Rick Ott

“Why We Can’t & How We Can – Just All Get Along” will be presented by Rick Ott at the Sunday, May 18, 2025, meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville, 2:30 – 4:00 pm at 227 Edgewood Rd, Asheville, NC. This will be a hybrid meeting, in-person and also available for interactive conversation by Zoom. All are welcome to attend.

With the current societal polarization, open-mindedness is the first step to self-care, rational thinking, and discarding the “scare script” that leads to demonizing others. Rick will offer practical strategies for engaging in conversations with individuals holding opposing political views. He emphasizes the importance of understanding, empathy, and effective communication to bridge political divides.

Rick Ott is a member of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville. He grew up on his grandpa’s cattle farm in Ohio, drove the tractor at age 11, helped his carpenter-father build the family home at age 12, earned an engineering degree and worked for 30 years in manufacturing engineering. He retired, moved to Asheville in 2001 and married the love of his life, Judy, in 2018.

Rick has relished his spiritual/philosophical journey having found Sunday homes in liberal protestant, Unity Church, Unitarian Universalism, Jubilee! of Asheville, and now Ethical Humanism.  Rick appreciates EHSA as an open-minded alternative within the liberal-religious market.  He’s hoping to leave us with a pearl or two as our guest speaker.