One has to still believe in people's potential while recognizing the stupidity behind their actions. One has to somehow still believe in their potential while recognizing their willful ignorance. If you don't believe in their potential then you're basically believing that they're evil, that they must be punished in order to learn to be good, that they must have fear in them to keep them on the straight and narrow.

Must somehow believe they have potential despite their willful ignorance. Despite their closedmind.

But how do they really have any potential when such is the case? In the face of the closed mind what is left really but anger and force?

The mind is closed because of fear. Have to reduce their fear enough that it opens...