Compromise?

Blog114:

In the midst of a decision a few years back, someone I admired in the workplace advised me to hold on to ‘the’ choice once I made it.  From thereon, that stuck in almost every decision I made, and must make.  It completely made sense.  It also made me thoroughly weigh consequences and live with the good or the bad it left.  However, a decision over something, especially that renders great importance, requires not only an intelligent processing, but also wisdom-filled compromises.

During the 2012 USA election season, much was heard about the term “compromise”.  Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, and even ‘Tea Party-ers’ alternately used it to mean something harmful, thus a dirty, ugly word!  Even if it granted many positive returns, as long as it benefited particular ‘principles’, the term compromise went down as the dividing line, the controversial decision to make, the ‘never-going-there’ stance.  An astounding wave of the electorate fortunately slew the candidates’ self-serving principles. “Compromise” was put back on the table as the action … decision … direction to contend with.   Presidential, representative, and senate votes went to those, in the electorate’s mind, who would re-assess and position the best, and “well-thought compromises”. 

Compromise, the agreement achieved after everyone involved accepts less than they wanted at first, is a civil and meaningful gesture and decision to align one’s self.  When individuals genuinely come to a table ready to hear with an open mind a specific rationale over a plan or an action that serves interests and good of the society, it is always a good.  We all must be willing to compromise.  When a diverse group sits in harmony and work toward reaching a conclusion over something that awards benefit to all, it is a winner.  Reaching a compromise leaves everyone feeling that his or her viewpoint, position, program … whatever reasonable and achievable idea, received a worthy consideration.  Our attitudes toward a decision needing dire attention should lead us to freely make compromises.  When we compromise with someone on something, it simply means we aspire for a balanced approach, and a fair scrutiny of the issue at hand, no more no less. 

While it is fair game to confront the negative connotations and effects of a “compromise”, that directed to harm or damage by entering into something that doesn’t match legal or moral standard, we should always bear in mind that the term itself serves more useful purposes than it does futile, ineffectual resolves.