The Fallacy of Compromise

 The Fallacy of Compromise 

Being a Canadian, I know something about the art of compromise. We are the nation that invented the word ‘sorry’ and we walk around every day trying not to offend anyone and to ensure that we always meet others at least halfway in a disagreement. 

To be sure, compromise speeds up the resolution of disputes. When there is a union negotiation of wages, meeting halfway between union demands and company hopes, the midpoint is a common landing spot. 

When there is a discussion about dinner there may be one party who wants French cuisine while another wants Italian. They may compromise on Mexican...no harm done. 

Or maybe it’s a vacation destination. One wants Europe; the other wants South America. They compromise on the Caribbean Riviera. 

All these examples of compromise demonstrate that none of the parties achieved the goal that they set at the beginning. But the result was satisfying enough that an agreement was reached. And nothing was really lost in the process.  

A good compromise means everyone has equal measures of satisfaction and disappointment. 

However, outside of these types of compromise, there is an unsettling reality that is eating away at the fabric of our society. I refer specifically to the compromise of truth. 

Comedienne, Lily Tomlin once opined ‘...what’s truth; it’s nothing more than a collective hunch...’ More and more frequently I see this attitude prevail. Truth is relative and not absolute. 

When we compromise on truth, truth always loses. Let me explain. 

Two people disagree on the colour of the sky. One says that it is blue, (which is the truth). The other says that it is white; they compromise and agree that it is light blue. Truth has been discarded for the sake of compromise and expediency. 

The next time these two discuss the colour of the sky, the starting point for the discussion is that the sky is light blue, because they changed the truth last time. The sky is still blue, but the truth has been altered. Where do you think that this compromise is headed? Further away from the truth... 

It does not take too many meetings before they are not arguing about the colour of the sky. They have moved on to whether it is day or night. 

This erosion of truth is easy; it is subtle and; and it is destructive. 

It starts with denying, ‘...the sky is not blue...’ 

It leads to deception ‘...the sky is white, but let’s agree that it is light blue...’ 

It ends with defamation ‘...it is night, not day...that is the moon not the sun...’ 

The truth can be compromised simply by acceding to the lie. As soon as you give it oxygen, a lie will grow. 

We must become a society that regains truth; a society that rejects compromise for the sake of ‘unity’. 

Never be afraid to stand on truth, it is the foundation upon which you cannot be shaken! When in doubt, do the next right thing!