Status Updates From High Conflict: Why We Get T...

At first Ripley argues that to get out of conflict we should listen to one another openly, a sort of simple, naive, well-intended argument. But when she tells the story of Curtis, a former gang member, different contours appear: avoid high conflict people, get space and time from conflict, and then, after progress toward an alternative path, you might be able to see the bigger picture and become a better listener.

So far this is very utopian. The books presents the idea that “us vs. them” is the problem, that political binaries such as the two-party system are tearing us apart, that we need to listen to one another and not dig our heels in. It’s true, and good advice, but also quite simple. The ideal solution is that both sides listen to one another, which feels impossible. But I’ll keep reading.