How do we find common ground?

well, it's interesting that you mention hardships, ever notice how people marvel at how communities can come together when disaster strikes? and yet, too much hardship and any ethical or moral concern goes right out the window and we revert (well, not everyone but a significant number) to our most basic instincts in order to survive.

i was wondering about this just a couple of days ago... wondering why the disciplines which share common terms and unite in common purpose seem to be able to make progress whilst those which don't appear to simply labour away at deepening the gulf...

look at science, look at mathematics, for instance, it matters not one iota where you are from, what colour your skin, what religious belief you hold, which political party you support, which philosophy speaks to you the clearest, where in the world you live, whether you are rich or not, you can still make progress, communicate in terms (or symbols, as the case may be), have a common goal and achieve something.

my vote goes to education (as a universal right).

(((eb)))

Il give u 3sentences and u can use or loose them: "we're all in it together" , and "eg. she's so down to earth hey" , and urs "common ground". We have common ground but we dont see/realise/appreciate it. Lifes best lessons comes from the simplest things, the earth that we all so clearly walk/stand/live on. Philosophy is the most simple thing but becos the mind is so complex, it makes everything that enters it complex. Early philosophers spoke in riddles not becos of their egos, but because their different mentality was so evident, they were searching for effective ways of translating their thoughts into words, cos they were thinkers, not talkers. They were exploring and proly got demotivated a lot but kept the hope alive that we would understand what their trying to relate. I bet we dont even know half of what went on in their minds.

G

The desirable conditions are spelled out in the answers.

The attempts to reach that condition with shoulds, and can, and exhortations rarely work because we humans are continually straining our consciences against our primal drives. Those primal drives include the seeking of security, permanence, and an escape from responsibility.

The sought after condition sinks into the morass.

The way to counteract this tendency is to integrate the cognitive processes so that primal drives, and conscience are united.

This can be done with the Nichiren method of six word cognitive integration.

I have modernized, and westernized the translations of some of the concepts in this blog.

http://gshpower.wordpress.com/

For support group information, go to,

http://www.facebook.com/sgi.info

http://www.youtube.com/user/sgivideosonline?featur...

How about the notion of loved ones a dwelling, youngsters. Those are probably the most things we use to understand. What a couple of Saturday on the movies or a experience within the country. Hi there Route 66. What about horse again using within the nation or a picnic within the park. What about falling asleep beneath a transparent blue sky on the beach. See the us you have got extra going for than you recognize VOTE for me in 2008.

It's not difficult to find common ground. Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone wants to avoid pain. We all laugh when we are happy, and cry when we are hurt and sad. This is true of everyone, no matter how primitive, or advanced their culture is. We all do the best we can to take care of our families, and we all love our children.

All you have to do is just start from there...the basics, and build on that. All it takes to stop a war is just for everyone to stop shooting, and start talking.

Let me ask you a question: Suppose they threw a war....and nobody came????

Understanding is the key to reaching common ground. Even if it's your differences, if you understand them you can meet each other half way, on common ground. Anything you share in common already is already there.

I think that we all can connect somehow as human beings. We all live on the same planet, one day we're all going to work together to fix things...

I don't think language is enough. I mean, most of the time people are talking, but not saying much at all, y'know?

I think language is the least of it. You may speak Pig, but I could have more in common with a Goat who lives around hungry meat-eaters than a pot bellied Pig who's a pet. If you know what I mean?

Understand, adjust and cooperate.

Philosophically speaking one should understand the other man's stand-point. Secondly one should adjust to the prevailing circumstances or situation; and thirdly one should cooperate as far as possible with the other person. Then it is easy to find a common ground.

find a common goal,

and work toward it together.

((fractal))