When we encounter someone who chooses to see things differently than we do, behaves in a way we wouldn't, or represents a culture we wouldn't be proud of, we can still act as if...
it's not personal
we might be persuaded
we might change our mind
they might be persuaded
they might change they're mind
there's middle ground
everyone can be happy
no one needs to lose
everyone should benefit
it might get better
Duels are overrated, thankfully. Most stand-offs are. And sometimes, walking away is the most generous act. But if better is a possibility (and it almost always is), someone needs to choose to go there...someone needs to lead the way. Acting as if things might get better in the face of adversity is courageous. It's also generous, which is precisely what we need when the chips are down.
Seeing the possibility of a better option is the first step to getting there. And it's a skill worth developing.