Dilemma Posing

As we approach deep rooted conflict, we typically see problems that seem insurmountable and that pose outright contradictions as framed by the people involved and even ourselves…Far too often our choices are framed as either/or choices. We send food and risk war; or we support the peace effort and hold off on food. To pose conflict as a dilemma suggests another way of framing the concerns, energies, and issues. Dilemmas and paradoxes offer the possibility that in conflict we are not dealing with outright incompatibilities. Rather we are faced with recognizing and responding to different aspects of a complex situation. Complexity is not well handled by framing choices in rigid either/or and contradictory terms. Complexity requires that we develop the capacity to identify key concerns, energies, and situations, and hold them up together as or aspects of the interdependent goals. There are two ways to pose dilemmas: the positive and the avoidance formulation…