Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Shades of Grey

Why do we as a people insist on seeing things as black or white? To do so ignores the shades of grey that surround everything and everybody. To view things and people in black and white causes a loss of subtlety and nuance. It takes away the thrill of seeking to know people as individuals and issues as complex.

When are we going to learn the value of debate and discourse? In my opinion, the person who goes right for the inflammatory aspects of an issue, is an example of someone who has not taken the time, or does not have the interest in trying to understand the issue from a 360' perspective. To examine an issue from all sides and from top to bottom can strengthen your own beliefs and opinions or it could change your mind.

It seems to me that the existence of the art of compromise is tenuous. It's all or nothing. It's black or white. Yet, in reality, all or nothing does not work. Our democracy was built on the debate of people with differing views of the way a new country should be built and who understood that to come to agreement together - compromise - would make for a stronger foundation on which the new country could grow.

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