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Debate
• is oppositional: two sides oppose each other and attempt to prove each other wrong
• has winning as the goal
• lets one side listen to the other side to find flaws and to counter its arguments: “listening to refute”
• defends assumptions as the truth
• causes critique of the other position
• defends one’s own positions as the best solution and excludes other solutions
• creates a dosed-minded attitude, a determination to be right
• prompts a search for glaring differences
• involves a countering of other position without focusing on feelings or relationship and often belittles or deprecates the other person
Dialogue
• is collaborative: two or more sides work together toward a common understanding
• has finding common ground as the goal
• lets one side listen to the other side to understand
• reveals assumptions for reevaluation
• causes introspection of one’s own position
• opens the possibility of reaching a better solution than any of the original solutions
• creates an open-minded attitude, an openness to being wrong and an openness to change
• prompts a search for basic agreements.
• involves a real concern for the other person and does not seek to alienate or offend
It is one thing to present these two different options; Debate, Dialogue. And an entirely different dynamic is to practice it. Then there would be, to determine how resolutions are constructed in a hierarchical way that includes communicative conclusions. How does Hierarchy exist in Dialogue and Community, it would seem that Hierarchy by nature is the antithesis which excludes Dialogue and Community. It would appear that Community by its very nature exists beyond the constraints of Hierarchy. Would it not destroy Community by trying to engage in Hierarchical management systems and applying them to Community, but Institutionally this maybe the glove that fits the hand . This would raise the question of whether we are aiming at Community or Institution, and then how to apply different systems for different outcomes.
Community means 1st class Communication for all members of Community, and it also means that each member of Community is a leader in their own right. Hierarchical management communication precludes the ability to communicate equally with all members of Community, and therefore creating Community would restrict its growth and thereby pseudo-community would all be that is created. Its like trying to light a fire whilst pouring water over it.
Whether Debate or Dialogue is the go to system of community creation, Hierarchy would limit the creative energy and synergy of that system of Community. In the past since 1977 the members of Iskcon have not really been subjected to Debate or Dialogue to solve dichotomy's and issues that have been brought to their attention. And certainly many many members have had little or no input, it appears that solutions have just been allowed to evolve rather than devolve through dialogue or debate. This seems to be an historic issue and there appears to be a lot of healing that needs to take place if or when a truly inclusive dynamic system of Communication is set to be emphasized.