Spoke to a successful sales rep who has worked for several medical product suppliers. He sold products internationally and has become familiar with some of the problems with health care here and abroad. He’s not too big on the ACA. He explained to me a lot of his concerns. They had validity from his point of view.
Then, without arguing about it, without letting him know my position, I just asked him a few question about some of his conclusions. Questions that challenged both the basis for his conclusions and that suggested a different way to look at things. I heard several, “I never thought of that. Yeah, I can see how that might make sense." Etc. Problem is most people don't try to see things in a broader context.
Although, I can’t say I don’t care what you think, I believe the direction we're headed is the best of the available options and hope a majority of us and our leaders stay the course. If you don’t change your opinion, you should ask yourself these questions on all the controversial issues you ponder and then discover the answers.
1. Why do others think this is the right thing? What are their arguments and why do they make sense to them?
2. What are the underlying interests of those that are against or for a particular position?
3. What are the consequences of the different options?
4. What problems, issues or concerns provoked the actions taken, and how might those problems, etc., be addressed in another way consistent with my opinion?
5. Whose ox is being gored? And therefore why might it deserved to be gored and what is their natural reaction going to be?
6. What options benefit the most people and do the most good over time?
7. What are the complete economic consequences of a particular action both the actual costs and the passed on, deferred or hidden costs of different options?
8. Are there any “principles” or assumptions about human nature that attempt to break down complex social interactions into a simple idea that I or others are basing their opinions on and how might two contradictory “principles” or assumptions about human nature have validity and thereby lead to equally valid but opposing conclusions?
This kind of thinking actually allows for compromises that actually are better and more superior solutions than the original polarized positions. You also might just find yourself saying, "I never thought of that--it makes a lot of sense."
Loren M. Lambert © October 6, 2013
Then, without arguing about it, without letting him know my position, I just asked him a few question about some of his conclusions. Questions that challenged both the basis for his conclusions and that suggested a different way to look at things. I heard several, “I never thought of that. Yeah, I can see how that might make sense." Etc. Problem is most people don't try to see things in a broader context.
Although, I can’t say I don’t care what you think, I believe the direction we're headed is the best of the available options and hope a majority of us and our leaders stay the course. If you don’t change your opinion, you should ask yourself these questions on all the controversial issues you ponder and then discover the answers.
1. Why do others think this is the right thing? What are their arguments and why do they make sense to them?
2. What are the underlying interests of those that are against or for a particular position?
3. What are the consequences of the different options?
4. What problems, issues or concerns provoked the actions taken, and how might those problems, etc., be addressed in another way consistent with my opinion?
5. Whose ox is being gored? And therefore why might it deserved to be gored and what is their natural reaction going to be?
6. What options benefit the most people and do the most good over time?
7. What are the complete economic consequences of a particular action both the actual costs and the passed on, deferred or hidden costs of different options?
8. Are there any “principles” or assumptions about human nature that attempt to break down complex social interactions into a simple idea that I or others are basing their opinions on and how might two contradictory “principles” or assumptions about human nature have validity and thereby lead to equally valid but opposing conclusions?
This kind of thinking actually allows for compromises that actually are better and more superior solutions than the original polarized positions. You also might just find yourself saying, "I never thought of that--it makes a lot of sense."
Loren M. Lambert © October 6, 2013
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