The Creator Gators

Polarity

The primary polarity

Dualism is a fundamental aspect of creation, going all the way back to the beginning. The tendency for concepts to diverge or split is a natural effect of dualism. In a way, the most primal challenge of creation always has been and is to reverse separations and restore the whole. What's good for the self and what's good for the whole tend to characterize the sides in political (and other kinds of) splits. This is an age-old polarity. Resolving it requires a shift in perspective, a rise of awareness, a larger view. Realizing that it's not true that one of these is all good and the other is all bad.

Polarity shows a pattern in its evolution. Small disageements sharpen because of the innate desire to have an adversary to push against. For as long as people retain common sense and avoid becoming too polarized, the disagreements are not dangerous and can be kept in check. When our darker natures surface, the schism can intensify and the gap widens, until at some point the danger is obvious and reintegration or dissolution must happen. Forced reintegration will fail. Only shifting priority to the inclusive group identity will succeed. This lesson has been learned all the way back to interplanetary wars, but is yet to be understood here.

Group identity becomes especially intractable when there is focus on a single infallible figure. Blind loyalty to this figure binds the group together in a way that is almost impossible to crack or dissolve. Psychologists have a lot to say about this effect and why it happens. It relates to people's unconcious fears and insecurities, partly.

Resolution of polarity

It's rarely the case that one side of a polarity has 100% of the truth, even though it may look that way to all involved. For reintegration to happen, both sides must locate the common ground of truth.

Here is the blueprint:

1. Drop your fear and stereotypes of that other viewpoint and its adherents. Then interact with them first at an impartial level. Get to know the people a little more than you do now.

2. See if any of them, as individuals, are willing to talk about how they came to their present attitudes. Do not criticize during this exploration, just listen.

3. Identify the factual, and also the more abstract, aspects of their positions that seem to be true to you. Identify factual truths, and attitudes that you see as positive. There will be more than you think. Writing these down may help the process. These truths represent common ground. Leave differences aside for the time being.

4. If both sides can do this process, they will uncover the most common ground. Remember that each side has truth, and each side including yours has at least a little untruth.

The key is Respect and Listen.

And remember that you can disagree and still respect.