Picking Your Fights

      Apparently we have decided as a society that we must win at all costs, and to admit defeat or making a mistake is not an option.  We see it everyday in politics and in government officials. To admit to being human, of having made a mistake, can lead to instant ridicule and in a sense, harassment, by the media, social media and the general public.
      Right up front, I would like to admit to being a human being, which means I am not perfect. Far from it. I make mistakes every day. And most of my mistakes, I can't hide from. But as one of my favorite teachers taught me,  we don't really learn when we do something right, only when we do something wrong. So I try to use each mistake a learning experience,, so hopefully I don't repeat it again, but I know I have made the same mistake on several occasions. As someone else said, I hope to learn something new everyday, and every day I learn something new is another day I have survived.  If I don't learn something new, then I have died.
       Any military tactician will also tell you that you don't need to win every battle to win a war. Knowing which battles to win is the key, and a strategic retreat can in the long run be the best option. This win at all costs mentality we see in today's politics is not a smart way to wage a war.  Quite often compromise on an issue is the way to start a long term win.  Look at MADD and their efforts to eliminate drunk driving.  When they stated they realized that they could not outlaw drink driving altogether in one fell swoop. But they have reduced drunk driving deaths, increased prison terms and increased the general stigma of being caught driving drunk over the last 30 years by taking little victories on a consistent basis.  When I first started driving, the blood alcohol limit was .16. It was first dropped to .12, then.10, then.08 (and for drivers with a CDL license .04 - which basically outlaws drinking and driving for them only beer would put them over the limit in most cases.).  True, .08 does not keep all drunk drivers off the road. There are some people who won't admit to themselves that they aren't capable of driving as twice that level, but for most of us, we don't want to endanger ourselves or others, our reputations or job, by being caught over the limit. Small victories, knowing when and where to pick their fights, a few setbacks here and there, but they have basically won the war.
      So can we agree that we don't have to dig in for every fight?  Can we agree that to compromise, get a little bit now and then come back at a later date and see if we can agree to make further changes is better for everyone than not taking any action, or a stalemate?  Can we also agree that admitting that we are not right all of the time is a sign of maturity, intelligence and strength rather than a sign of weakness and stupidity? I doubt it. In today's political climate, this is heresy. Too bad. Being afraid to compromise or admit to mistakes because of what the political consequences might be doesn't give us much of a chance to progress and succeed at anything.