Full Version: The art of compromise
I was watching The Girl in the Cafe today and Bill Nighy's character (a diplomat at the G8) made an eye opening statement.
He said this about the issue of solving poverty and AIDS in Africa: after endless negotiating, they would announce their "success" and never solve the issue.
Many people have differing views on compromise. Arthur Bloch, author of the "Murphy's Law" books said:
L. R. Hubbard said:
This echoes Andrew Carnegie:
James Russell Lowell:
Jane Wells wrote:
Andrew Bierce:
Plenty of quotes http://thinkexist.com/quotations/compromise/
Perhaps Ghandi said it best:
So there are many views on compromise. Of course, no concept is universal and thus there will always be gray areas.
Questions for Debate:
1. Is compromise on a personal level different than on a political level?
2. Is compromise generally a good thing or a bad thing?
3. Are there issues which we should never compromise on?
QUOTE
We get into the habit of compromising and therefore we are always compromised.
He said this about the issue of solving poverty and AIDS in Africa: after endless negotiating, they would announce their "success" and never solve the issue.
Many people have differing views on compromise. Arthur Bloch, author of the "Murphy's Law" books said:
QUOTE
“The compromise will always be more expensive than either of the suggestions it is compromising.”
L. R. Hubbard said:
QUOTE
“It is the weak man who urges compromise--never the strong man.”
This echoes Andrew Carnegie:
QUOTE
“The 'morality of compromise' sounds contradictory. Compromise is usually a sign of weakness, or an admission of defeat. Strong men don't compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.”
James Russell Lowell:
QUOTE
“Compromise makes a good umbrella, but a poor roof; it is temporary expedient, often wise in party politics, almost sure to be unwise in statesmanship.”
Jane Wells wrote:
QUOTE
"Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break”
Andrew Bierce:
QUOTE
“COMPROMISE, n. Such an adjustment of conflicting interests as gives each adversary the satisfaction of thinking he has got what he ought not to have, and is deprived of nothing except what was justly his due.”
Plenty of quotes http://thinkexist.com/quotations/compromise/
Perhaps Ghandi said it best:
QUOTE
“All compromise is based on give and take, but there can be no give and take on fundamentals. Any compromise on mere fundamentals is a surrender. For it is all give and no take.”
So there are many views on compromise. Of course, no concept is universal and thus there will always be gray areas.
Questions for Debate:
1. Is compromise on a personal level different than on a political level?
2. Is compromise generally a good thing or a bad thing?
3. Are there issues which we should never compromise on?
1. Is compromise on a personal level different than on a political level?
Yes, simply because a politician is to represent a nation or government or some part of both, not just him or her self.
2. Is compromise generally a good thing or a bad thing?
Neither, simply depends on the situation. Like a person may compromise him or her self to retrieve a person or persons from a deadly situation, but there is a million ways or minds that could view such an act with a varying degree of difference. Many times when talking about being able to understand the human mind, many says its impossible, then I go on to say I coincide, simply because every time I talk to someone I cant understand a darn thing they are saying, this seems to get worse every ten miles from where I currently live, but overall just like that, what exactly is a compromise in any giving situation? Can one just view anything that does not click with his or her perception as a compromise to not simply accept but to simply think on such with close to an open mind, after all, we all start out as cultural primitives, and then of course being what we our or our nature we soon begin to learn or the environment soon has an impact one way or another on our individual perceptions of reality or environment, so its not intrinsic that one person may be raised one faith from birth, they can still come to follow a different faith and so on, or perception is mutable and open, and the evolution of such can be traced like just about everything else. I use to favor gun control laws, now I don’t thanks to conservative views, I just favor reduction in firearm density, or production by companies, not really laws against ownership of any particular type, save unless you are imprisoned for being really deadly openly with them against the populous at large, but you would still be able to get them anyways, so what have you.
3. Are there issues which we should never compromise on?
Yes, truth should always be favored over a lie, problem is what’s truth.
1. Is compromise on a personal level different than on a political level?
2. Is compromise generally a good thing or a bad thing?
3. Are there issues which we should never compromise on?
Without comromise there is no democracy,prtty self evident wouldn't you say.
Compromise is always a good thing if you an the opposite are at equal levels, better than the 2 men enter one man leaves alternative.
simple example, you want religion i dont--you wanna leave it up to who can take the other down, or agree to leave each others choices alone and go watch a game and eat chicken wings.
I choose chicken wings.
If you have personal beliefs you cannot compromise-fine stick to them but should everyone else have to comply with your viewpoint?
Yes it is different on a personal vs. political level.
I can choose to stick to mine and live alone, but for the best possible society to live in you must accept some compromise.
2. Is compromise generally a good thing or a bad thing?
3. Are there issues which we should never compromise on?
Without comromise there is no democracy,prtty self evident wouldn't you say.
Compromise is always a good thing if you an the opposite are at equal levels, better than the 2 men enter one man leaves alternative.
simple example, you want religion i dont--you wanna leave it up to who can take the other down, or agree to leave each others choices alone and go watch a game and eat chicken wings.
I choose chicken wings.
If you have personal beliefs you cannot compromise-fine stick to them but should everyone else have to comply with your viewpoint?
Yes it is different on a personal vs. political level.
I can choose to stick to mine and live alone, but for the best possible society to live in you must accept some compromise.
1. Is compromise on a personal level different than on a political level?
I'm not completely sure what is meant by 'personal level' here. If you mean personal convictions, then, yes, I think they are different. If you mean in personal relationships, then I think they're pretty much the same, just on a different scale.
2. Is compromise generally a good thing or a bad thing?
It depends...
.
But, seriously, I think it does. There are some situations where a 'compromise' solution just makes sure no ones goals are met, leaving everyone unsatisfied. There are other situations where compromise is a good way to achieve progress, with everyone getting a little of what they wanted. If I had to pick, I'd say its generally a good thing. In today's political world, lack of compromise creates divisiveness, and leads to nothing being done at all. Also, I think there are generally reasons why different groups feel so differently about issues...trying to incorporate some of those other positions into a solution probably results in a better overall result.
3. Are there issues which we should never compromise on?
To me, compromise applies to actions. One can compromise on an action without compromising one's principles...which I don't think should be compromised. In fact, I think politics is the fine art of compromising to get most of what you want. However, I don't think one should compromise just to do it...it should be done in an honest effort to provide a better solution. This can be accomplished by bringing in some components from the other viewpoint without removing anything that has a significant impact on what you're after. Win-win solutions should be the goal of a good compromise.
I'm not completely sure what is meant by 'personal level' here. If you mean personal convictions, then, yes, I think they are different. If you mean in personal relationships, then I think they're pretty much the same, just on a different scale.
2. Is compromise generally a good thing or a bad thing?
It depends...
.But, seriously, I think it does. There are some situations where a 'compromise' solution just makes sure no ones goals are met, leaving everyone unsatisfied. There are other situations where compromise is a good way to achieve progress, with everyone getting a little of what they wanted. If I had to pick, I'd say its generally a good thing. In today's political world, lack of compromise creates divisiveness, and leads to nothing being done at all. Also, I think there are generally reasons why different groups feel so differently about issues...trying to incorporate some of those other positions into a solution probably results in a better overall result.
3. Are there issues which we should never compromise on?
To me, compromise applies to actions. One can compromise on an action without compromising one's principles...which I don't think should be compromised. In fact, I think politics is the fine art of compromising to get most of what you want. However, I don't think one should compromise just to do it...it should be done in an honest effort to provide a better solution. This can be accomplished by bringing in some components from the other viewpoint without removing anything that has a significant impact on what you're after. Win-win solutions should be the goal of a good compromise.
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