Few words have had more significance in my life than this one. The evidence of its power, and also of the damage in its absence, is all around us. It has been noted that a staunchly-held and vocally-promoted opinion of a single political issue is often a strong indicator of that same mind’s view regarding many other ones. Therein lies a lack of balance, a tendency toward group bias, an inability to think independently, a kind of laziness or malaise, a creeping disregard for open and tolerant discourse, and inadvertent support for an erosion of civility and compassion toward our fellow humans.

Our notion of truth should be ever-evolving. Fear and anger breed contempt and resentment. True in the public sphere as well as in private relationships, one should not fear the words of our intellectual opponents, even many that appear offensive and extreme. Where first amendment protection should and should not be granted is a matter of degree, and these questions are some of the most perplexing.

In my personal life, in conversation with family and friends, I have often used two electrical components to illustrate the importance of this word, balance. Even going so far as to bring them to the dinner table. They are the switch and the dial (or potentiometer). There are of course plenty of examples where a switch is a proper response. Some questions do not benefit from an answer of degree. “Do you prefer to live or die?” “Choose pain or pleasure?” “Exist in good health or illness?” Others however, are really about questions of how much. How much exercise provides optimum benefit? How often should my taste buds overrule my desire for a healthy diet? How much sun? Alcohol? Meditation?

And of all the people I have been fortunate to meet, and of those who have caused me the most displeasure, who of them do I choose to spend the most of my time with, and who are to be avoided? These questions are often directly related to other relationships in our lives. We may tolerate some acquaintances for those we love, or avoid relationships that cause others pain.