Mediation, as is peacemaking, is counter-cultural. Our society is programmed for battle. In every area, people tend to look for offense. We have news shows and radio shows that are unabashedly biased and champion one viewpoint over another – provoking polarization. People are taught to negotiate by digging in, entrenching themselves in a position, sticking their fingers in their ears whenever the other party talks like a child saying “I can’t hear you,” over and over. Mediation challenges this notion and says that conflict can resolve peacefully if we take time to listen to each other, respect each others point of view, and consider a solution that meets the interests of both parties. I believe this approach can apply to individual conflicts, business conflicts and conflicts between nations. The hardest thing is getting people to agree to set aside their pride and look across the table. I believe we are at a point of crisis in our society and if we don’t start looking for solutions like mediation – which is an interest based, conflict resolution technique, we are going to continue to dissolve into more and more polarized factions.
Mediation is Counter-Cultural
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