Positive Vibes: The Power of Compromise.

JZ's Positive Vibes

The Power of Compromise from 3/10/22

 

Compromise has gotten a bad rap in some sectors.  You’ve probably heard the statement, “When you compromise nobody gets what they want.” Sure, there are times when yes compromising can be bad. If you make compromises on building materials to save money, then compromise may lead to trouble. (See that Condo in Florida that sank.) But quite frankly the ability to compromise is how modern civilized societies get things done. When you are a mature adult you realize you can’t get everything you want.

 

The lack of compromise has kept American politics pretty much stuck in neutral. Since compromise is seen as a four-letter word it’s nearly impossible for both parties to get anything done unless one party controls the White House and both parts of the congress so that party can ram their agenda through. Which may work for a while but inevitably control will shift to the other side who then spend all their time undoing what their rivals did. You do the math, this doesn’t work. Closer to home the Geneva city council is so split I’ve seen pro wrestling matches with less drama and vitriol, making it harder for Geneva to get stuff done.

 

What’s the solution? Well first, I’m not that smart. I don’t offer solutions only suggestions for another possible way of proceeding. I note that society tends to do better when we all look for common ground. Beliefs and ideas we all share. If we look a little deeper and are flexible we see that often our mutual goals aren’t THAT different. It’s a framing issue. Instead of wanting “my side to win at all costs” look at like “how can we make this better for both sides…”

 

Which brings me to something near to my heart, the baseball lockout. Here the owners of major league baseball teams locked out their players in order to prevent the players from striking over their contract negotiations. The owner’s excuse was to prevent the loss of games. Of course the owners didn’t offer a deal for weeks and both sides remain entrenched as they want to win. In these types of win at all cost ideals there are no winners only losers, in this case especially the fans. Last week the owners canceled games. The two sides remain divided over numbers: minimum salary, luxury tax, and a pool of money for younger players. While players and owners (who are pretty much guaranteed profits win or lose) argue the game suffers. Making matters worse they are bickering over numbers instead of finding ways to make the game more exciting and shorter. 

 

This entire situation could be solved if they met in the middle. Owners want a minimum salary of 700,000 and players want 725,000 so meet at 710,000. Owners offering a player pool of 30 million, players want 80 million, meet at 50 million. And so on. The players get paid again, the owners get profits from games again and the fans get baseball again. Does anybody get everything they want? No of course not that’s not how life works.