Blog #68--Compromise Is Essential For Mutual Benefit

As part of a Master’s program in Adult Education, I was required to take two courses in Educational Policy Studies. One of those courses dealt in part with the complications of trying to obtain majority approval for changes/improvements in school systems over time. As some of you are undoubtedly aware, many battles must be fought before final approval is achieved because of the vested interests of various factions.

In order to make this point clearly, our professor subdivided the class into four groups and gave us a case history of an actual school system that had previously faced problems requiring changes. In one hour, each group was asked to arrive at a solution to problems caused by budget restrictions, aging buildings and a reduction in population density. The professor didn’t expect any group to succeed in one class period, but that wasn’t his motive. Instead, he wanted us to feel the intensity of the conflict so we would be better prepared should we have a similar problem in our careers.

Each person in a group was given a set of criteria required by the various self-interests in the decision-making process. We were all told to defend strongly our favored position. Predictably, arguments made resolution seem doubtful at best. One wondered how any school system could possibly arrive at a consensus unless one faction had significantly more power and money to force their self-interests onto the others.

A selfish group like that, which often represents a small minority of the population, might actually do more long-term harm than good with that kind of power over others. The rest have to fight even harder to be heard in that environment. In our case, no one had dictatorial power, so conversations/arguments became a conflicted morass of confusion and discouragement.

It soon became obvious that one or more factions had to consider the bigger picture, modify his or her position and find a compromise solution that could meet at least some of everyone’s needs. That isn’t what the professor wanted us to do, but being a problem-solver, I chose to give up a portion of my self-interests while maintaining much of the rest. I then asked the others to do likewise. As the class neared the end, we all voted in favor of the compromise.

It doesn’t usually work that way in real life, but finding a possible solution was much more fun than sitting there all hour with blood pressures and voices rising in competition with our fellow citizens. Everyone gave up something but otherwise got much of what each wanted. No one was totally happy, but it was better to us than nothing. Our solution was not identical to what happened at the school system in question, but it had a number of similar elements.

In other words, there is value in compromise. We need not give up our basic belief systems, but compromise requires us to accept the right of our neighbors to have at least some of their needs met as well. That was more possible in the mid 1970s when I took the class than it appears to be today, but the principles are the same in every generation.

In the year 2015, it appears there is a polarization all over the Earth which forces two opposite positions, each unwilling to compromise. Stagnation such as been common within the United States Congress in recent years is just one of many examples of this phenomenon. No politician on one side of the aisle wants to give up even one iota of selfishness to reach a consensus with those on the other side. The large number of wars now existing around the world proves there are similar problems in many locales.

As long as we all insist on getting everything we want and giving nothing to our supposed “enemies,” conflict is guaranteed. Each side wants total power and control. The more one side tries to destroy the other, the more the other musters up a defense and counterattacks. After all, we all have strong instincts when our survival is threatened.

In the exact same way, all humans have a conflict between opposites fighting similar battles within our minds and bodies. We function only when there’s a balance between opposite polarities. If we cannot find a way to embrace our two opposite natures, all manner of mental and physical illnesses are guaranteed. And we will have little chance of connecting consciously with our eternal spirit during our lifetimes.

We are so much more than we realize, if only we can learn to see the good in each other. Compromise may seem like a loss to our egos, but it is the way the Universe maintains its balance. Duplicating that sharing, unifying principle can lead to solutions impossible without it. If we want peace rather than war within and without, compromise is essential.

Many of us want to “have our cake and eat it too.” While the super rich and super powerful believe they are doing just that, in the long run it is impossible for all of us. It is hoped someday even they can understand the value of compromise. They and everyone else will benefit greatly if they can do so.

http://dreamtime3.wix.com/jacktuttlebook

Comments and questions can be directed to dreamtime@insight-books.com.