DISAGREEMENT SUCCESS

Simon Keyes

Let’s disagree!

Which came first?

or

When you disagree…?

• Where does your information come from?

• What life experience has led you to this position?

• Is your position your own?

• What emotions do you experience when you hear different positions?

Let’s disagree!

• Is free market wealth creation the best means of alleviating poverty?

• Is Jesus the only way to salvation?

• Is a two state solution in Israel/Palestine still possible ?

When you disagree…?

• Where does your information come from?

• What life experience has led you to this position?

• Is your position your own?

• What emotions do you experience when you hear different positions?

Disagreement Success/Failure

Polarisation

Conflict

Difference

Complexity

1. The Threat?

Difference

2. Polarising Factors

• Fear• Prejudice• History• Belief• Self interest• Peer pressure

3. Patterns of Escalation

ConflictComplexity

Take SidesCuriosity

Select/ignore info

Assume & attribute

Demonise

Devalue

Personalise/generalise

Listen

De-personalise

Seek understanding

Take responsbility

Maintain Connections

Strategies for moving fromconflict to complexity

ConflictComplexity

Take SidesCuriosity

Select/ignore info

Assume & attriibute

Demonise

Devalue

Personalise/generalise

Listen

De-personalise

Develop understanding

Take responsbility

Maintain Connections

Threat?

5 Seek Transformation

4. Provoke aw

areness3 Explore threat

1 De-escalate

2 Depolarise

Summary of possible interventions

1. De-escalate

2. De-polarise

3. Explore threat

4. Stimulate awareness

5. Seek transformation

How not to disagree…

Disagreement a way we can learn

from difference

“I say, love your enemies” Jesus (Matthew 5:44)

“Your enemy is your best teacher” HH The Dalai Lama