If, in picking a quarrel, each party declined to go more than three-eighths of the way, and if, in making friends, each was ready to go five-eighths of the way-why, there would be more reconciliations than quarrels!
According to Lewis Carroll in Eight or Nine Wise Words about Letter-Writing, conflicts and friendships depend on how much effort each party is willing to invest. When people are cautious and hesitant in disagreements, avoiding getting too involved, they are less likely to escalate conflicts. On the other hand, when everyone is more open to making peace and bridging differences, reconciliation becomes more common.
He illustrates that if each side in...