I often hear people tell me they have an unmet need for justice. But on the Nonviolent Communication need list, justice is nowhere to be found.
If it’s a universal human need, how should we understand justice? On the need list, there are communication, mutuality, shared reality, support, acceptance, understanding, consideration, trust, to see and be seen, to know and be known security... except for justice.
It turns out that justice is a strategy that meets multiple needs such as self-empathy, mutuality (equity), shared reality, acceptance (being accepted and accepting others), peace of mind, etc.
For example, when encounter unfair treatment, we experience pain and emotional distress. Supporting ourselves with self-empathy is crucial in this situation. Until we connect to our feelings, it’s nearly impossible to see the layers of needs underneath the injustice.
Seeking justice is a request that often reflects multiple layers of need alive in us.
