Preface
I think what makes people fascinating is conflict. It’s drama; it’s the
human condition.
Nobody wants to watch perfection.
—Nicholas Cage
It has been said that the only things in life that are inevitable are death
and taxes, but I would add one more thing to this short list: conflict.
Hardly a day goes by when we do not find ourselves in conflict with some-
one or something—whether it is a parent insisting that we fulfill a family
obligation, a friend who openly disagrees with us in Facebook comments,
or Congress taking a stand that we vehemently oppose. Conflict is every-
where—a natural part of our days and often a necessary method of solving
problems and making progress.
That being said, people go out of their way to avoid conflict at all costs,
even to the point of placing themselves in uncomfortable or unbearable
situations. Many people see conflict as an evil thing—evidence that a rela-
tionship is on the rocks or that the world is about to crumble around us.
The utopian ideal of living in perfect harmony seems attractive, but it is
as unobtainable as a trip from Earth to Alpha Centauri. Fear of a raised
voice, a contradiction of a personal belief, or an angry outburst drives some
to keep their own feelings buried and hidden, lest an exasperated sigh or
roll of the eyes betrays their inner feelings of frustration. They may spend
