Paradox & Perspective
My academic training and degree is in behavioral science. As a student of psychology, I learned that Sigmund Freud opened the door into this field of study, but Carl Jung may have done more than anyone with respect to making psychology accessible and practical.
Carl Jung described the human condition saying, “Only the paradox comes anywhere near to comprehending the fullness of life.” When I initially read Jung’s words, I was perplexed and confused. At first blush, this would seem to tell us that we can only understand things by embracing both extremes of an argument or opinion. In reality, Carl Jung was telling us that enlightenment, understanding, and the truth always lie somewhere in the middle. It is rarely black and white but contains every color in the spectrum.
When we have legal disputes, we go into a courtroom which is generally divided by a center aisle. On one side is the plaintiff or prosecution, and on the other side is the defense. Within a prescribed manner set forth by law, both sides make their most persuasive arguments, then a judge and jury determine the outcome. This system is probably never perfect but maybe the closest we will ever come to truth and justice.
In our political system, we, once again, generally have two sides in a heated debate, and the outcome is determined by a vote which is finalized by the executive branch and overseen by the judicial branch of our government. Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst system in the world except for all the others.”
Today, it seems as though there is more conflict, debate, and division among us than ever before. I don’t think this is the case as I believe the media attention makes it seem that our current struggles and arguments are unprecedented. Here in the United States, our country was born out of revolution. Our greatest conflict probably came during the civil war in which friends and family members fought and killed one another. Any dispute that begins with an argument, proceeds with a debate, and ends with a decision without violence is a good one.
The best legal, financial, or policy decisions are ones in which everyone gets something they want, but no one gets everything they want. People who long for a smooth-running system without debate or dispute may want to consider North Korea, Cuba, or other parts of the world where the system may be quick, but it is often far from fair or just. As long as we all bring our human failures and shortcomings to every side of an argument, there will be conflict and debate; but if we can agree on our mission, and relegate our discussions toward the method, we can make progress. Virtually all reasonable people in a civilized, orderly debate want similar outcomes. They are simply arguing about the best way to get from here to there.
As you go through your day today, try to find the wisdom in both sides of an argument, and you will begin to approach the truth.
Today’s the day!