Getting along with one another is not just the act of tolerating other people.  It is both an action and an attitude.  If someone merely tolerates a person, that is only one step better than disliking him or her.  Dislike can turn into hatred if it is allowed to grow and flourish.  Getting along is more like agreeing to disagree.  I think that getting along means being open to the possibility of attaining a friendly relationship.  People don’t have to agree on everything, or anything really, as long as there is mutual respect for another person.

The success or failure of a business venture, an equally-valued membership in a community, or a friendship is not determined by how much we agree on everything.  While it is a true pleasure to be in sync with other like-minded persons, it is also beneficial for us to seek relationships with people who think differently.  Mutual respect is key for this to be successful.

There are reasons to avoid subjects that are not vital to some specific interaction if one knows that there is an extreme polarity in that subject.  Avoiding conflict is sometimes necessary if one wants to get along with others.  But, to me, forming some kind of relationship can happen if all parties are agreeable.

Ultimately, having a society that is healthy and robust, is dependent on having many different kinds of opinions that can be discussed openly and without judgement.  With specific ground rules, conversations with both sides of an argument clearly stated, should be possible.  In other words, people just need to be respectful of one another.

In times of division and polarization, the act of getting along is a profound challenge.  But, the quest of finding common ground and working toward compromise is necessary for a healthy, just, and diverse society.  And that’s what I believe to be the necessary art of getting along.