“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” This is a line often attributed to Martin Luther-King, though its origins stretch back to the early 19th century. Regardless, the quote expresses a sentiment that I have been thinking a lot about lately.

Our world, I think many of us would agree, is not in a good place. We are living through a time when, to use our own language, below-the-line thinking – characterised by blame, defensiveness, denial and/or justification – is dominant.

This can be disheartening for those of us who believe in the power of peace, hope and compassion. For those of us who believe that an emotional healthy planet is possible.

Nevertheless, if we adopt a long view, the reality is that there is hope. We can and will do better if those of us who believe in peace, hope and compassion can hold our ground and stay above the line.

A bit over 12 years ago, I wrote a blog post entitled, ‘How to see disagreement in a whole new light’. The focus of that article, in the context of a now long-forgotten industrial dispute, was a comparison between ‘either…or’ thinking – ‘either they win or we win’ – and the above-the-line alternative of ‘both…and’, win-win thinking.

A word often used to describe today’s world is ‘polarised’. A polarised world is an ‘either…or’ world. Everyone is expected to have a definitive opinion. Everyone is supposed to take a ‘side’ on every issue. Everyone is either on this wagon or that one.

In a polarised world, there is no room for any middle ground. There is no room for nuance. There is no room for opinions that don’t neatly fit into the ‘either…or’ narrative. This world fuels ‘below the line’ behaviours and responses.

One of the characteristics of ‘either…or’ thinking, or its ‘yes…but’ variation, is that it can become self-fulfilling. Below-the-line thinking and actions on one issue often produce below-the-line thinking and actions on another. Before long, every situation, small or large, becomes something to fight or argue about – even those issues over which we have little or no control. Negativity prevails and flourishes.

When we are in this space, it is often difficult to recognise that we don’t need to be there. We can get so caught up in a situation that it becomes hard to recognise that we can choose to respond differently. When we recognise where we are, each of us has the capacity to make above-the-line choices that promote peace, hope and compassion.

What might it look like to make above-the-line choices?

We can start with ourselves. We can start by acting with an intent to operate above the line, and asking ourselves how we want to be with others in our lives, in our families, our workplaces and our communities.

We can reinforce our intent by seeking out the positive. The truth is that peace, hope and compassion remain abundant in the world. They just don’t grab the headlines. We can be much more selective about the news and social media we consume, making sure the negative is at least offset by the positive through outlets like Fix the News.

With others, we can be more conscious of the language we use in our conversations. For instance, we can avoid applying labels to people. Labels are a powerful tool of those who prefer polarisation to peace. They stereotype and dehumanise. When we avoid labels, we make sure we are recognising the whole person rather than an avatar.

Similarly, in our behaviours, especially as leaders, we can be careful of the distinction between being blunt and being direct. We can remain authentic while also keeping the impact of our behaviours on others in mind.

There is so much good in our world that was built with peace, hope and compassion. We have to believe that ultimately these will prevail, and that each of us can play a part in that through the choices we make.

Gayle