A friend suggested that I read The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt. (For a sparks note version you can read their article in The Atlantic.)
The book talks about cognitive distortions that have shifted our society over the last decade, resulting in the current inability to let one’s mind truly see both sides of an issue or idea.
While discussing the lack of free thought and ideas on college campuses, the authors assert: Education should not be intended to make people comfortable, it is meant to make people think. What they are addressing is something we’re all guilty of – confirmation bias. By frequently taking on a thought or idea with an absolute certainty that we are correct, we may be failing to think.
Mediation is like “education” in this way. When you come to a mediation, be prepared to represent your client, argue your case, and convince me of why you will ultimately prevail. But as a mediator I’m also there to present an alternative view.