Chapter 1 & 2

Chapter 1: To me, I do believe conflict is a trait we are born with. From the first time we step foot on this earth conflict is something we begin to go through on a daily basis. In the Webster dictionary conflict is defined as: a mental struggle resulting from opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external demands. As we go through life I feel we have to make decisions like these every day. I think when people hear the word “conflict” they automatically give it a negative connotation. But it’s simply making decisions to get a certain outcome, and I feel this trait is something we as humans are naturally born with. Also, I feel conflict is one of the traits that distinctively sets us apart from any other living creature on earth. Unlike like most living things that have one purpose in life and stick to the same routine everyday; we have the power to choose and make decisions every second of our life. One can decide to be a vegetarian one day and then the next day decides to eat meat again. We can decide to exercise on a daily basis or be lazy and do nothing all day. These are examples of conflicts that we go through, and in my eyes what makes us more human rather than less. This trait or concept of conflict is something I believe is very valuable for us. Overall, I suppose without conflict, we wouldn’t be able to make some of the daily decisions we have to make throughout our lifetime.

Chapter 2: After reading chapter two, what stuck out to me the most was the last and final phase of the process view of conflict. The resolution phase. When I think of any conflict I have had with someone I realize that this last phase is one which I often don’t meet. There have been many instances where I could not accomplish this phase in a conflict, especially in my relationships. When it comes to an argument or conflict I tend to be very stubborn. I either always try to get my point across or simply ignore what the problem is. Usually when a conflict begins with another person, we argue over and over until a solution that is best fitting comes up. Or one of the most often and probably worst things I do is just stop talking about the argument or to the person and the conflict never reaches its end. “Just sweep the dirt under the rug” mentality. The way I feel I can change my thinking or view of this process, is by simply taking my time with each phase and trying to reach a resolution. Most importantly I want to try to not ignore the conflict rather than find a good solution.