The Case of Principle Vs Passion In Conflict - Lessons From A Personal Story
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Principle and passion are distinct concepts.
Principles, moral truths, guide ethical decisions, acting as a timeless compass.
Passion, dynamic and intense enthusiasm, fuels pursuits and evolves over time.
Decision-making based on principles considers ethical implications, while passion-driven decisions prioritise immediate satisfaction. An interplay between principle and passion can lead a fulfilling life, with the balance being a personal choice for a purpose-driven existence. But sometimes this interplay can be consequential and create conflict. Which one wins? Lets find out.
Passion - Case in Point - Nature
Passion or being passionate about nature is great for an everyday man going about his life and his job. Passion invokes a sense of protection for the environment and pushes you to do something about man-made activities that are destructive.
Passion for the voiceless - birds, bees, and the babbling brooks; can get someone to take initiative, to think about solutions and make a difference. It’s the holding on to passion in the face of disruption and disappointments that is difficult and not for everyone.
Even a lover will mop after his beloved and eventually move on from the sorrow. Passion is that burning desire that can burn palaces and at the same time, it can as easily be made into cold turkey when life gets hard. How does one continue in that regard? Through Principles.
Principles of Environmentalism
The principle of environmentalism emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living things and ecosystems, advocating for sustainable practices that promote the health and balance of the environment. The interconnectedness of environment, makes the principles give due consideration not just to the natural world but also to humans. Human lives matter in ethical considerations of decision making in the environment. Humans certainly do not make an easy job as we are at the centre of conflict by and large.
Balancing principles requires sacrifice, while pursuing passion involves risks and spontaneity, which is usually afforded by a certain privilege. Let me tell you about a personal anecdote that became a case of Principle Vs Passion, not too long ago.
Context for Subjective Passion
I used to live in the middle of an apple orchard, with acres and acres of leafless trees in the extreme winters. In this large area, there were only a few clusters of native trees, evergreen trees, and conifers. In the snow-clad winters, these limited trees are visible in a unique light; come summer - through monsoon, the entire area becomes green, yet for birds, these native trees are home throughout the year, and fruiting trees are merely stopovers.
This is where I began Bird-Watching and slowly documenting the avian diversity. I was able to spot Hume’s Warbler, Common RoseFinch, Ashy Drongo, Verditer Flycatcher, Spotted Dove, Blue Whistling Thrush, and many more. My eyes started adapting, able to spot movement even in camouflage. Sometimes, I would play bird sound recordings and watch them react and find out ‘who dare call them with mating sounds?’ It was fun, and certainly passion grew.
Passion Turns Into Conflict
One day, I was woken by the sounds of JCB’s equipment of excavation and demolition. The machinery carries a unique sound that I am familiar with. An alarm began ringing in my ears, so I followed the sound. Not too far from my leased house, I found villagers gathered around and the machinery, digging through a water stream, behind it, were uprooted trees. The stream that they were digging passed by my house, and I panicked thinking about the trees next to my window.
Now usually, you don’t start yelling at a large group of people who own the land, so I did the next thing - enquire about NOC - No-objection Certificate. which I was sure they would not have because digging a common natural stream comes under the purview of the forest department.
In my mind, I was thinking of all legal objections that could be made even if there was a NOC, but the villagers responded by handing me a phone to speak to whoever was on the other side. It was the owner of my leased property.
“Tamanna, do not interfere. I have worked very hard to get this done.”
“Sir, Digging a natural stream is not a good idea, and the trees that are being uprooted are native and house many bird families.”
“I am saying do not interfere, I have put in a lot of money to get this done. I understand your passion, but please, I am requesting you to NOT INTERFERE.”
I did not say anything further. I certainly could not do anything alone, on someone’s private property. So I made one last attempt at salvaging the tree lines ahead.
I kept the phone down and looked at the village head and other men - “ I am still saying that this is not a good idea, but if you must, divert the route away from the flow of the stream and cut the apple trees if you like; these native trees house many birds that are important for the ecology, for your farms, and for conservation. Please don’t do something you will regret later. I will leave now.”
Principles of Conflict Resolution - Almost Hijacked by Passion
The JCB continued, and I wept. The villagers did listen to me and avoided cutting any more trees alongside the stream. Hysterically, I decided to leave the house. My ethics did not allow me to stay there, and I no longer wanted to pay the lease. I assumed that my lease was responsible for enabling this process.
This decision was fuelled by passion and the consequences were felt by my family who were uprooted from their home in the matter of hours. I was distraught to the point that I wrote a long letter to myself, and this is where principles guided me through my inner mentor. They stopped me from making further decisions solely based on emotions.
Decision Making To Address Further Conflict
Principles don’t operate like passion; everything must be carefully considered. It was my principles that stopped me from pursuing a legal case. Is that confusing? Let’s consider a scenario where I did give in to passion, what would be the consequences?
The property owner is a government employee and has kids. I on the other hand reported to no one and I don’t have children. There in lies the difference in possible consequences. Further, the property would be evaluated for taxation, an investigation into the funding of the road construction and lack of NOC, an investigation into environmental damage. And no matter how influential one is, these are issues now taken extremely seriously by the National Green Tribunal.
“You should have made sure that lessons were learnt.” *echoes of my passion*
Another echo came through reason and I remembered a personal philosophy. In alignment with the principles of my environmentalism, I believe in holistic solutions that address the root cause, not just the symptoms. I have always advocated for - working with, not against.
I asked myself - If it was worth it to make a man suffer? When the agenda was never meant to become personal on their end? Making one person pay for discrepancies in an issue that society at large is responsible for, is never the right way to go about it. Never, unless it’s ONE Conglomerate, One Organisation, One Party or One Hitler.
Principles for the Long Term - To move away from suffering, into a compassionate reality
Environmentalism is a lengthy journey, and fragmented efforts don’t build movements in a positive direction. Principles serve as the building blocks that strengthen the foundation for tomorrow.
This incident left a deep scar on my mind that took months of mental health work to resolve. I no longer feel the rage that was a symptom of great passion for the living.
Principles are crucial as they objectively channel efforts into actions that leave a lasting impact. Passion, on the other hand, burns brightly but often subjectively. Many people are passionate about the environment today; only if environmental principles were adopted as regularly and consciously, we might actually see the results.
Buddhism recognizes that suffering often arises from acts of cruelty. The Four Noble Truths, a fundamental concept in Buddhism, acknowledges the existence of suffering (dukkha) and identifies the cause of suffering as craving and ignorance. Acts of cruelty, being harmful and rooted in negative mental states, contribute to this cycle of suffering. The Eightfold Path, another key teaching, encourages right action and ethical conduct, emphasizing the importance of avoiding harm to oneself and others. By cultivating compassion and refraining from cruelty, Buddhists aim to break the cycle of suffering and attain liberation (nirvana).
In a Parallel Universe
One wonders how differently things could have turned out to be, if some decisions were taken consciously. If, the property owner had simply given me an advance notice, I think it would turned out to be a vastly different result.
After all, it is my job to guide developmental activities to a sustainable path. I could have helped him with a plan that did not involve digging a natural stream and avoiding cutting any tree important to the local ecology. I could have facilitated collaboration of the entire village/or all land owners to forge a road map that worked for them without destruction. I would have even supported them to apply for a NOC and worked with them to make a road in a legal manner. And I would still be living in my beautiful home surrounded by a great community.
Could have, should have, would have.
Only if.
Lessons and Findings
Conflict resolution should always keep principles on the table.
Passion is a worthy trait of the brave, This ability should be nurtured with love and understanding. That way, rage will make room for reason and the emotional intelligence to find a better way.