Beneath Right and Wrong
You are right! They are definitely wrong! This thinking is called judgement. As soon as you see your way as right and their way as wrong you have made a judgement. Judgement leads to argument. Argument leads to a bunch of other miserable outcomes.
What if you can get beneath right and wrong? What if you can stop yourself from thinking that there is something so definite as right and wrong. What does it mean to be “right” anyway? Is it just an idea you are putting out there? In that case you want to be right just for the sake of “winning.” And if you want to be right to convince someone to be part of your team or the work you are building then you have two choices. One you can just move on from the person that doesn’t agree with it. Two, you can get beneath right and wrong to see what they need to make it work for them.
Getting beneath right and wrong loosens up the lines we draw in the sand and makes way for conversation rather than argument. Give it a try and you may find that life suddenly becomes much smoother.
You are right again….(when will you ever be wrong??
)
“Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights.”
Hebbel (German Poet and Dramatist, 1813-1863)
“Individual character involves honoring and embracing certain core ethical values; honesty, respect, responsibility . . . Parents must teach their children from the earliest age the difference between right and wrong. But we must all do our part.” – Bill Clinton
Greg~ I love that Hebbel quote. John Mayer also has a great song on his Continuum album called Believe. The lyrics are eloquent on this topic.
Ok – will check them out…. I also thought that Bill Clinton would be an expert on right and wrong…
(cough!)
Great post! Conversation over arguments is so much easier (once you’re at this stage) and fun..
And indded great Hebbel quote, I liked that.