 |
 |
|
Introduction:
Blaming the other side is common, observes longtime peace scholar Louis Kriesberg, but actually disempowers the blamer.
| |
This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).
Blaming
Louis Kriesberg
Professor Emeritus, Sociology, University of Syracuse. Also author of numerous books on intractable conflict
| |
 |
A: The other little piece that I think people in conflicts that are
deteriorating need to be reminded is that conflicts get worse as each side
blames the other. Blaming others is very natural because we know that we are good
people and we are doing good things, therefore the problem must be the other
side. The fact that the enemy who must be making things so bad doesn't recognize
that he is and doesn't see our goodness is further proof of their evilness and
their lack of understanding. Therefore it proves more that they are at fault and
that they must change. I think some recognition that that is an interactive
process is important and it in fact is disempowering to think how it abdicates
the possibility of change to the other side. We're much better off thinking
about what can we do that might change this interaction, which actually gives
you more power than not.
Q: So you are controlling your own actions, which ultimately
affect the diad or triad or however many parts there might be.
A: Yeah.
|
 |
 |
 |