Fully Connected

The people we surround ourselves with every day-whether they're family members, romantic partners, or neighbors are the fabric of our lives. Here, several thoughtful visionaries talk to Oprah about how certain individuals have left a lasting impact.

NELSON MANDELA

OPRAH WENT TO SOUTH AFRICA IN 2001 TO VISIT MANDELA AND TALK ABOUT OVERCOMING HATE.

Oprah Winfrey: Do you believe people are good at their core?

Nelson Mandela: There is no doubt whatsoever, provided you are able to arouse the goodness inherent in every human. Those of us in the fight against apartheid changed many people who hated us, because they discovered that we respected them.

OW: How can you respect people who oppress you?

NM: You must understand that individuals get caught up in the policy of their country. In prison, for instance, a warden or officer is not promoted if he doesn't follow the policy of the government-though he himself does not believe in that policy.

OW: So you can change someone who is only carrying out a policy, since that person himself isn't the policy.

NM: Absolutely. When I went to jail, I was a trained lawyer. And when the wardens received letters of demands or summonses, they didn't have the resources to go to an attorney to help them. I would help them settle their cases. My colleagues and I did not want to speak to the apartheid rulers at all, but some of us did the type of work that brought us into contact with our oppressors.