Last November this octogenarian faithfully went to the family doctor for the annual flu shot. Indeed, she encouraged me to get a pneumonia shot as well. Now my history of being jabbed has shown that this annual encounter with the needle kept me free from those awful viruses! For many of us these last few years have been the same, get the needle and avoid the flu. Wow how soon we forget! Have we been lulled into believing this current flu is just another bout with a bad cold!
Well this year my shot against this triple threat failed and I am flat on my back with influenza! Let me tell you it is not fun. This is serious stuff. Think back a few years to 2009. We Canadians had to do battle with the H1N1. A lethal combined bird, swine (2) and human flu viruses. Or read about the year 1918 when that influenza pandemic, called the Spanish flu, killed 50 million people! To use a current expression, this year's flu has 'gone viral'.
This is really a stretch on my part but I wonder if striking the word compromise from our dictionary has 'gone viral' as well - in this case by it's own volition. The news over the past year is nothing but stories of groups of people simply unable to find compromise and instead, reverting to violence. The examples are legion.
First Nations versus the Government of Canada, both sides seemingly immovable objects. Are we not supposed to live in a democracy? And does not a democracy require that we negotiate, discuss, consider, dialogue and then, in the end compromise? I do hope the protesters and citizens keep these events in mind when the next election days roll around!
In the United States whether it is the economy or gun control, both sides are so entrenched in their political views they seem unable to compromise, even if their intransigence plunges the country into recession or chaos. "The president made it clear, made it explicitly clear, that the president had already made up his mind on these issues," said NRA President David Keen. "We made it clear that we disagree with them." I don't see any room for compromise! Talk about stubbornness and wrong handedness. Professional hockey players and team owners have been bashing their heads together for months over someone else's money - namely the foolish fans who can't wait to replenish those millionaires pockets! Some of the Teacher unions in Ontario and the Provincial government are having a good go at each other these days as well.
And I always thought that the Shiite Muslims and Sunni were pretty uncompromising!
One Canadian journalist used the word 'cave in' in a press conference. And there lies the nub. Compromise is never a 'cave in' if it is arrived at humanly, through discussion and mutual respect.
But before I become too critical of others I have to remind myself that life, together with others in the world, to be successful must also include the concept and practice of compromise. Democracy alone is not enough. We are all different, often with conflicting ideas, beliefs and desires. This octogenarian learned that compromising is not a 'loss of face', not a 'giving in', not even a surrender. It is the only way we can respect one another and live together in peace.
Lets try to cure these terrible viruses before they destroy us all.
First Nations versus the Government of Canada, both sides seemingly immovable objects. Are we not supposed to live in a democracy? And does not a democracy require that we negotiate, discuss, consider, dialogue and then, in the end compromise? I do hope the protesters and citizens keep these events in mind when the next election days roll around!
In the United States whether it is the economy or gun control, both sides are so entrenched in their political views they seem unable to compromise, even if their intransigence plunges the country into recession or chaos. "The president made it clear, made it explicitly clear, that the president had already made up his mind on these issues," said NRA President David Keen. "We made it clear that we disagree with them." I don't see any room for compromise! Talk about stubbornness and wrong handedness. Professional hockey players and team owners have been bashing their heads together for months over someone else's money - namely the foolish fans who can't wait to replenish those millionaires pockets! Some of the Teacher unions in Ontario and the Provincial government are having a good go at each other these days as well.
And I always thought that the Shiite Muslims and Sunni were pretty uncompromising!
One Canadian journalist used the word 'cave in' in a press conference. And there lies the nub. Compromise is never a 'cave in' if it is arrived at humanly, through discussion and mutual respect.
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| If we are rational then compromise is always possible |
But before I become too critical of others I have to remind myself that life, together with others in the world, to be successful must also include the concept and practice of compromise. Democracy alone is not enough. We are all different, often with conflicting ideas, beliefs and desires. This octogenarian learned that compromising is not a 'loss of face', not a 'giving in', not even a surrender. It is the only way we can respect one another and live together in peace.
Lets try to cure these terrible viruses before they destroy us all.
And that's Dick's View of the World this Week
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