"It is better to become friends than to serve as food for ravens and vultures." The fable of the lion and the boar fighting over a small spring on a hot summer day is a timeless metaphor for human conflict. It reveals how ego and stubbornness blind us to the real threats that lurk in the shadows of our arguments. The conflict begins with a "small spring of water." In psychology and business, this scenario is a symbol of limited resources. When we believe there is not enough for everyone, we go into survival mode, which often overrides logic. In professional life, when two managers are fighting over the same budget, they often waste more time sabotaging themselves than productively working. In personal life, it is disputes over inheritance or attention that destroy families. The vultures in the fable are the most important symbol. They are the third party who does not participate in the battle but benefits from its disastrous outcome. They are patient, observant, a...
Human thoughts out loud