Compromise is found in every facet of life. 

Every day we are encouraged to exercise our capacity for compromise in our friendships, roommate situations and social and romantic relationships. However, the one place compromise is actually looked down upon is politics.

I’m not going to turn this into a political tirade because I know you don’t care where I draw my party lines. So, we’ll just leave my affiliations a mystery. This is my white flag of cease-fire. I’m walking into no man’s land to offer — you guessed it — a compromise. 

When did going to the polls become a declaration of war? I’ll tell you when — when we stopped working across party lines. When we started throwing insults at each other and reducing people to their partisanships. 

I can’t fix our messed-up government all by myself, so I am asking you, dear reader, to exercise the first step of compromise: open-mindedness. 

I want you to think back to the last time you changed your mind about something. It can be anything. Something as simple as liking coleslaw after years of hating it or as complex as switching parties on a wedge issue.  

What made you change your mind? Was it a conversation, a dream or an article? 

I change my mind all the time. My foot always finds its way into my mouth, and I have no issue telling people when I’m wrong … after the shame fades, of course.

I change my mind by listening to people I disagree with and trying to understand why they feel the way they do about said topic.

If you can’t listen to someone you disagree with without blowing your top, I’ll hold your hand when I say this — grow up. There is dignity in discussing politics without insulting each other, and there is integrity in being able to compromise. 

At the very core of this issue is a lack of empathy and open-mindedness. We all believe we’re right and everyone else is wrong, but that mindset is a disservice to not only you but also your country. We all have to check our egos and understand that we’re all human, which inevitably means we’re wrong sometimes — and that’s OK. 

I’ll pose another question for you. How do you know you’re right if you haven’t reflected on the “wrong” people’s perspective? Have you listened to their arguments and seriously contemplated them? Have you done your research? Let me rephrase that: Have you visited multiple sources, consulted the Media Bias Chart and gotten your information from reputable sources? 

Facebook doesn’t count. I’ll say this again — Facebook. Doesn’t. Count. 

If you’ve made it this far, I’m proud! You’ve made your first step towards less fighting at the dinner table. Whoo hoo! 

So, let’s say you’ve contemplated the other perspective, done your research and you still stand firm in your beliefs. I’m going on the Aggie Honor Code that you actually put the work in and still found your mind unchanged. OK, so, you and your opponent are in a stalemate. Are you going to choose to stay unflinchingly rigid in a lose-lose where both parties are unhappy, or are you going to turn it into a win-win, a.k.a. a compromise? 

My vote is a win-win, but, hey, if I haven’t opened your mind yet, I’m not going to do it with the rest of this article. So, this is your cue to go write those aggressive hate comments now. I still appreciate your feedback, even if you want to argue in the comments about my golf handicap. 

The biggest argument against political compromise is “if you give an inch, they’ll take a mile.” Politics is war, and we (fill in the party here) are fighting for our version of America.  

First, that idea is what is driving our country into the ground. Second, fortunately, there isn’t one version of America. That’s what makes us the greatest country in the world. We are all insanely different. If we were all the same, we’d be boring — just like England. 

OK, OK, I’m just kidding, I love Princess Di. But, seriously, I could swing a purse and hit 20 people with different opinions, backgrounds and cultures than me, and I love that. If you don’t, then you can’t call yourself a true patriot.

We can change our country’s narrative with a simple compromise. Our parties don’t have to be set in black and white.

Let me give you an example: Let’s say we come together and advocate for Roe v. Wade to be reinstated in exchange for the southern border to be secured. Each side, no matter which one you’re on, wins on one of its issues. We are never all going to be in agreement, but we can do our best to prioritize what issues you are unwilling to change on and what you are willing to bend on. 

Did you know skyscrapers are made with the intent to be flexible? It’s so the building can continue to grow taller but still stay stable so that they don’t fall. They move in the wind — isn’t that cool? America should take notes, because that’s what we should aspire to be. Flexible. Otherwise, our American Empire State Building will rise too close to the sun, and our tower will topple.

If citizens accept compromise in politics, politicians will follow. We need to encourage our politicians to work across party lines and enjoy that gray area. They are civil servants after all, so they basically have to do what we tell them … at least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. 

I believe in America. I believe that our differences are what make us number one, but until we realize that’s what unites us all, nothing is going to change. By acknowledging and respecting our differences and working to reach a compromise toward a common goal — the American goal — we can stop talking about making America great and actually do it. 

Compromise isn’t weak. It’s essential. Don’t be blinded by ignorance and ego; be empowered by the love for your country and what makes us better than all of the rest: our differences. We, the people of the United States, want to compromise, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility.  

Maddie McMurrough is an agricultural communications and journalism senior and opinion columnist for The Battalion.