Mediator Kim like everyone else wore a human form. The Little Dragon's almond shaped eyes surveying us all while walking through the room. Kim's shoulder-length dark hair swaying gracefully as the Little Dragon's slight figure moved past the committee members. No one spoke, everyone feeling the powerful presence of the mediator.
Kim then stopped by my side, smiling, "Good morning," the Little Dragon said to the committee members, the mediator's soft voice filling the room. Everyone acknowledged the greeting with one of their own before the Little Dragon continued. "When a committee, especially one as high profile as this one asks for mediation there is a tendency to see this as a negative outcome. Intelligent, well-meaning people should be able to work out their own differences without assistance.
In my wide range of experience I often find that the opposite is true. Coming to a true consensus has nothing to do with intelligence or even high ideals. It involves understanding the unique complexities of the Little Dragon mind. We are meant to question everything thus it is natural that disagreements will ensue even among kind and caring people.
Thus, mediation should never be seen as a failure but instead as an opportunity to allow another party as myself who is not partial to any side to create what I like to call the third way. A point of view that either party can't see because they are too intimately connected with the issue at hand."
Kim paused and no one spoke. His words held me spellbound, my spirits lifting as he described his philosophy. "Now," the mediator said a warning note in his tone. "The benefits of the third way are often not clear to the parties involved initially because it will not be fully what either one wants. It is a blending of two very different but valuable ideas. Please keep this in mind after you have heard my recommendation."
Gershom then raised his hand. Kim's left eyebrow rose slightly at the gesture before he acknowledged the committee member. "I can appreciate your position Mediator Kim but several of us still feel strongly that the third way as you call it won't be adequate when we are talking about a venture that involves the fate of an entire species. Is there any way we can dispute your decision?"
My eyes closed a moment in frustration at Gershom's obstinacy. Mediator Kim, however, didn't show the slightest signs of offense. "You can always make a case that the public at large should vote on the recommendation. If rejected, then other alternatives can be introduced. "
The last thing I wanted was to go that route. It meant this enterprise wouldn't be ending anytime soon. Gershom's expression remained neutral during the explanation giving me no idea of what he was thinking.
"My recommendation," Kim then said drawing our attention back to him. "Is that the inhabitants receive only one directive and told it comes specifically from the ones who created them. 'Everyone and everything is connected to each other.'
No one spoke for several moments contemplating Kim's advice. Instead of feeling relief my anger surged at the vague directive. How would any civilization interpret it? Nothing in it at all about valuing each other all it had was the promise of connection. An idea that could be interpreted in a multitude of ways. My eyes sought Gershom's thinking he should be pleased, but he was frowning at Mediator Kim.
That ends Social Conundrums, Part VIII. Next month is Social Conundrums, Part IX. Learn more about the Little Dragons by reading the earlier blog post series titled Humanity's Evolution.
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