I avoid confrontation, partly because the misanthrope in me avoids unnecessary human contact and partly because I am sensitive. Some people can walk away from a war of words with their pulse rate intact. I wish I was one of them. While I don't see myself as a doormat and am capable of standing up for myself I go to great lengths to avoid unpleasantness especially if it is someone with whom I have ongoing contact. This is not a particularly desirable quality in a man so I try to dress it as misanthropy. Unless one is the Buddha, confrontations are inevitable. To be sure, some confrontations are best avoided, some are not. Feisty folks need to pipe down, submissive folk need to step up sometimes. Is there an alternative to this feisty-meek dichotomy? Can one choose to be one or the other, depending on the situation? Can one confront with equanimity and be meek with dignity? Firm, but kind? Speak out against injustices while talking the language of love?
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