We live in a world of polarization, where everything seems to be an Us versus Them situation. Corporations vs Mom and Pop Stores, West vs East, Employers vs Unions, Liberals vs Conservatives... All these conflicts don't make you happy, and they really don't serve anyone's interest.
I've learned the hard way to use less superlatives and to include the words maybe and perhaps in my vocabulary. (You can get started by reading Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people")
Instead of preaching, I just want to point out one terrific example of a company that broke through the Us-versus-Them-mentality. The company Milliken has an activity in the center of Gent. While this causes some inconveniences (think: large trucks passing through your street), Milliken wanted to involve the neighborhood. With the help of the city, they decided to open up one of their warehouses for use as sports hall. Normally, the warehouse is used as a parking garage, but on Wednesday afternoon and in weekends, the warehouse is used by the local kids, for sports activities.
Isn't that fantastic? Instead of alienating from each other, this company and the neighborhood have found a common ground. I bet John Lennon would have loved this.
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