I believe that in intense conflict, far from becoming sharper, differences melt away.
Interpretation
Intense conflict can lead to the dissolution of differences between people.
This quote suggests that during moments of extreme conflict, people often find that their differentiating factors, like beliefs and opinions, can dissolve, leading to a greater understanding or unity. It highlights the idea that shared struggles can bring individuals together, transcending their individual differences.
In practice
In a team meeting when discussing challenging projects.
We don't even know what our desire is. We ask other people to tell us our desires. We would like our desires to come from our deepest selves, our personal depths - but if it did, it would not be desire. Desire is always for something we feel we lack.
The protective system of scapegoats is finally destroyed by the Crucifixion narratives as they reveal Jesus' innocence and, little by little, that of all analogous victims.
Instead of blaming victimization on the victims, the Gospels blame it on the victimizers. What the myths systematically hide, the Bible reveals.
What I call a mimetic crisis is a situation of conflict so intense that on both sides people act the same way and talk the same way even though, or because, they are more and more hostile to each other.
Salvation lies in imitating Christ, in other words, in imitating the 'withdrawal relationship' that links him with his Father... To listen to the Father's silence is to abandon oneself to his withdrawal, to conform to it.
It doesn't take much insight to realize that wars have been getting worse every time - worse from the point of view of the civilian, more and more destructive, more and more total.
First causes are outside the realm of science.
A miracle is not the breaking of physical laws, but rather represents laws which are incomprehensible to us.
A free and open society is an ongoing conflict, interrupted periodically by compromises.
Publication is to thinking as childbirth is to the first kiss.
I even agree that the concept of god helps some people lead better lives. That does happen. Don't ever forget it. I just think there are better ways to help people lead better lives.
Do not do an immoral thing for moral reasons.
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