One thing I really like about the Buddha’s teachings is his emphasis on the “Middle Way,” which he describes as a path of moderation between (among other applications) the paths of overindulgence and extreme asceticism. Petronius gives similar counsel, reiterated by Joseph F. Smith: “Moderation in all things.” This idea seems pretty straightforward and intuitive, and there are many applications for it. After all, when two people are arguing and each is telling his or her side of the story, it is often the case that the true story is somewhere in between. The middle of a normal distribution curve is where most of the occurrences lie, with the extremists on either side numbering much fewer.
It seems however, that the extremists tend to be the most vocal. Today’s political situation is a perfect example of this. Whereas I would wager that a large chunk of Americans’ political views depend on the issue, and fall somewhere in the middle of the political spectrum, it seems that those few on the far ends of both sides are the most visible and vocal about their demands. They seem not to be willing to cooperate with those on the other extreme, and sometimes even those in the middle, and often resort to bickering and name calling.
As a political moderate, having scored high in Empathy on the StrengthsFinder test and taken courses dealing with negotiations, it seems to me that the best way to achieve harmony in dealing with other people is to work toward negotiated agreements. It is rarer than we might think, that two opposing parties want the exact opposite of each other, so in many cases it is possible for each side to concede little, and in exchange gain something that is worth a lot more to them. Hateful rhetoric and fear-mongering don’t do anything to help, and in fact only hinder progress and dialog by convincing constituents that the opponents are really enemies who can’t be negotiated with.
In many decisions we make, we can encounter information overload. We want to consider all of the available information in order to make the right decision, but often there is simply too much information available, and it is difficult or impossible to internalize all of it and all the while keep an objective point of view. Sometimes the only thing we can do is take in all the information we can, make the wisest decision possible, and respect others who don’t make the same decision as we do. They simply absorbed a different subset of the available information than we did. Whether it is the decision to believe in God or not, or what political positions to take, we can’t possibly process all the available data out there without already having tentatively placed our allegiances. Therefore, we are very unlikely to all come to the same conclusion. As I mentioned in a previous post, sometimes the only way to coexist with those whose beliefs are different from our own is to practice mutual respect and implement the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” In an increasingly diverse society, this rule only becomes more vital.
The duty of a scientist is to form the best intellectual framework available with the information at hand, and always be aware that further truth may still be forthcoming. We should therefore be open to adjusting our theories to accommodate new truths we discover. Being willing to admit we were wrong is not the mark of a flip-flopper, but of a wise human being more concerned with learning and growing than appearing right.
An important caveat to this philosophy is revealed when we take a look at Petronius’ whole quote. What he actually said was, “Moderation in all things, including moderation.” Sometimes we have to take a stand for what we believe in. We can’t let people take advantage of our respect and allow ourselves to be walked on. Furthermore, we need to have the moral courage to stand up for what we believe to be right. In situations where moderation would require a compromise of our integrity, we need to stand firm. We can, however, be respectful about it. That, in turn, is how we earn the respect of others.
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