# Effective Disagreements By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2024-07-16 There is an art to disagreeing without being disagreeable. Many of us are ineffective at navigating the complexities of disagreements. This is unfortunate, as there is excellent potential for disagreeing. People have different perspectives. Things appear differently depending on context. Values shape goals. What one sees and what one is attempting to accomplish are often vague. Disagreements hold the potential to sharpen one’s understanding of these things. In addition, disagreements can reveal aspects that were either not considered or underappreciated. This is unlikely unless one can listen to alternative perspectives without feeling compelled to undermine that perspective or bolster one’s position. Effective disagreements need to be founded upon mutual respect. It seems that respect is increasingly in short supply. Respecting one with whom one disagrees can be challenging. There are some things upon which one can focus to help build respect. First, if the person with whom one disagrees is consistent in word and action, that is worthy of respect. Living a life consistent with the positions one takes is worthy of respect, even if one disagrees with the position taken. Second, if one understands one’s position well enough to explain it coherently, that too is worthy of respect. Lastly, and most importantly, the person is a person. People are worthy of respect because we share a common humanity. Smart people routinely hold conflicting positions. No political ideology, religion, nationality, or society has an exclusive domain of accuracy or truth. Each has some; none has all. Disagreements can be the easiest way to understand our partial understandings better. Disagreements potentially reveal incompleteness. With mutual respect, we can synthesize an increasingly comprehensive understanding of the complexities of life. Violence tends to follow both self-certainty and despair. The mindset needed for effective disagreements is an antidote against both. Human needs are complex. It is easy to take things for granted and to assume too much. Blind spots are pervasive. Disagreements can be constructive rather than destructive. To a degree, agreement is boring. If two people share the same view, one of them is unnecessary. Seeing things differently can be an opportunity for expansion. Let’s try to cultivate the mutual respect that leads to effective disagreements. #### Related Items [[Disagreement]] [[Respect]] [[Solidarity]] [[Truth]] [[Efficiency]] [[Understanding]]