Our country is divided and if we look beyond our borders to other countries we have opponents there to. Divisions seem to get us to choose one side or another. We are therefor FOR something or AGAINST something. One way or the other. Either/Or.
Another way to look at things is Both/And or win-win or compromise and collaboration.
BUT - more fundamentally I think we all have someTHING about which we will not compromise and determining what that radically important issue is for me or you... is The Question.
There are many ideals any of us might choose to stand on. Big ideals such as freedom and democracy. Ideals such as family might be where we take a stand. Religion or race or gender or whatever! are ideas, thing, people.... for whom we would be firm. A home or a country or perhaps our planet are things we might not compromise about... at some point.
The next important question then is where is that "point"?
Let me cut to the essential consideration which is most important and that is what happens when we see another or others who have a different, perhaps opposite, idea, thing, people, place, or ideal?
There are several ways to think and behave relative to those "points" of difference.
One way is to force the other to change to my way. Of course that means the other will be doing the same. Then power will win. Do you or I have THE power? Will you or I always have the power? Who really has the power? Is the exercise of power to force others to do as I think/feel they should an efficient or good use of power? Again, who has the power to maintain such control?
Another way is to accept the other and his/her ways. There is usually necessary reason to change is we accept the ways of the other. They do their thing, I/we do our thing. No forcing the other to do something. No "should'ing". We don't have to tell someone what they should believe or think or do. There is a need for us to understand the infinite ways people can "be" and to make acceptance work all we need to do is do our own things as we allow others to do theirs?
The final problem here is to have some set of rules to keep the peace. So:
are we all against stealing? YES - as long as everyone has enough.
are we against killing? YES... I don't want to be killed and I won't kill you... a basic agreement.
are we against ...??? Well what do we really have to be against? If no one is forced to be this or that, to do this or thatr, to believe this or that -- then each of us is free to do what we want to do with people similar to ourselves...
ONLY NO FORCING ANYTHING OR ANY WAY ONTO ANYONE!
I THINK... most of us rightly have power over ourselves. If most of us are willing to not force others to do stuff they may not want to do...then we can live easy and free. And I think most of us really want to be free and have an easy time to do what we want to do.
RIGHT?
(and check my basic thought about choices by clicking here)
Another way to look at things is Both/And or win-win or compromise and collaboration.
BUT - more fundamentally I think we all have someTHING about which we will not compromise and determining what that radically important issue is for me or you... is The Question.
There are many ideals any of us might choose to stand on. Big ideals such as freedom and democracy. Ideals such as family might be where we take a stand. Religion or race or gender or whatever! are ideas, thing, people.... for whom we would be firm. A home or a country or perhaps our planet are things we might not compromise about... at some point.
The next important question then is where is that "point"?
Let me cut to the essential consideration which is most important and that is what happens when we see another or others who have a different, perhaps opposite, idea, thing, people, place, or ideal?
There are several ways to think and behave relative to those "points" of difference.
One way is to force the other to change to my way. Of course that means the other will be doing the same. Then power will win. Do you or I have THE power? Will you or I always have the power? Who really has the power? Is the exercise of power to force others to do as I think/feel they should an efficient or good use of power? Again, who has the power to maintain such control?
Another way is to accept the other and his/her ways. There is usually necessary reason to change is we accept the ways of the other. They do their thing, I/we do our thing. No forcing the other to do something. No "should'ing". We don't have to tell someone what they should believe or think or do. There is a need for us to understand the infinite ways people can "be" and to make acceptance work all we need to do is do our own things as we allow others to do theirs?
The final problem here is to have some set of rules to keep the peace. So:
are we all against stealing? YES - as long as everyone has enough.
are we against killing? YES... I don't want to be killed and I won't kill you... a basic agreement.
are we against ...??? Well what do we really have to be against? If no one is forced to be this or that, to do this or thatr, to believe this or that -- then each of us is free to do what we want to do with people similar to ourselves...
ONLY NO FORCING ANYTHING OR ANY WAY ONTO ANYONE!
I THINK... most of us rightly have power over ourselves. If most of us are willing to not force others to do stuff they may not want to do...then we can live easy and free. And I think most of us really want to be free and have an easy time to do what we want to do.
RIGHT?
(and check my basic thought about choices by clicking here)
© Ken Firestein - 2018
Comments
Post a Comment