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It isn’t about compromising entirely and losing your own convictions. It’s about building bridges and coming together despite our differences when there’s a common goal to achieve or problem to solve. You can gather around and be civil with others for a specific purpose. You don’t have to view them as your best pal and give yourself wholly to them. Boundaries are as important as certain compromises can be.
There will be people who, if at all, must be treated at a distance and/or with vigilance because they have shown to be harmful or dangerous, and cannot be trusted, or to be left be with minimal to no interaction, as their manner of being has proved to be detrimental to you and yours. But otherwise, for inclusive progress that is broader and greater, gotta work with people who don’t share your exact same principles, values, and beliefs - at least every once in a while, here and there.
For me, I do have the luxury of cutting as many people as I wish to out of my life. I made sure my lifestyle allowed me that. Growing up forced to be in the company of people who were literally driving me to the brink, I swore I’d never go through the same again. But you can bet that sometimes I do put my own desires and preferences aside - when there’s a job to be done and putting myself above that would just be awfully self-centered. Yet, as human beings, we all have our undeniable limits and it’s on us to note what they are so we can respect them and not lose ourselves.
Humans are complex, but also gifted in many ways. Ways that may be more complementary than they are contradicting. And we miss out on that when we let prejudices dictate our every move. Figuring out what rules and norms to set in place for things to run smoothly enough would be The Challenge. And likely an ongoing task...
