Name calling, attacking, and knee-jerk pejorative reactions, don’t make things better. They make them more of the same. Let’s try something different. For the USA! Image prepared by FitOldDog, using information gleaned from followers on Instagram.
Meat-based versus plant-based diets. There is a healthy place in the middle, but it depends where you live, what you should, or even can, eat. Image created by FitOldDog.
A plant-based diet isn’t for everyone.
To resolve conflict, e.g. meat-based versus plant-based, focus on your similarities, rather than differences. Move from static to dynamic tension.
I do eat less meat. Now I’m on this vegan diet. But I don’t like to preach. Each person has to decide for themselves.
A few years ago, I accepted joint responsibility for a multimillion-dollar drug-safety program. My co-leader, let’s call her Cathy, worked on a site a few hundred miles away. It was our job to work together, to make a success of this investment.
We met. Conflict began almost immediately. We would argue. Huff and puff! Make almost no progress. For months! Apart from becoming more and more disagreeable with each other. We were losing sight of the science, and the program was at risk. I couldn’t talk any sense into Cathy, and I am sure that Cathy felt the same about me. A difficult person, that guy!!!!!
My diet has evolved over the years. Which is the perfect diet? Who knows! I just try to make the best decisions at the time, based on the knowledge I have at the time. Image by FitOldDog
Then our boss sent us for therapy.
I was on vacation, when the phone rang in my motel room. I learned that a therapist/psychologist had been dispatched to my location (and another to Cathy’s). Would it be OK if he interviewed me tomorrow. “Sure!” I said. I love to learn about my weird brain. For Free! What a treat!
Cathy and I were psycho-analyzed. About one month later. While we continued to dispute. A report was mailed to each of us. I expected to find that we were completely different. Essentially incompatible. One of us would have to go!
Wrong!
We were almost identical, psychologically, with some minor differences of style. ALL our disputes revolved around the differences. We were both surprised. We had a joint meeting with the psychologists. Discussed the issues around which we differed, and soon became good friends. And an effective team. The program finally progressed.
How odd – we could only see our differences.
When it comes to conflicted Americans. Around food, religion, abortion, guns, politics, and the like.
If only the warring parties could return to what they have in common.
I am pretty sure that most:
Republicans and Democrats (and Independents). Meat-Based versus Plant-Based. Red-Socs or Cardinals Fans. Gun Acceptors or Rejectors. Pro-Life or Pro-Choice. Gay, straight or otherwise:
Photo, taken by FitOldDog, in a great little coffee shop, The Roasted Coffee Depot, in Burlington, NC.
Deep down, inside, love their partners and kids. Want to enjoy good food. Have shelter over their heads. Care about the meaning of life and their spirituality or religion. Don’t want their heads chopped off by crazy people. Worry or think about money, health, some kind of creature comforts, and the end of life. Are basically sentient beings, known as humans, doing the best they can, with what they know.
Now, that’s a lot of stuff in common, don’t you think?
Start over, and start there!
Find the common ground, or you will destroy the very ground upon which you stand. Our lovely, American Democracy.
The best in the World, as far as I’m concerned.
Happy Trails,
This is a great post. What a novel no-brainer … it is cool that you have that example with your co-worker.
What a great name! Dare.