A Short Mission Statement of Hegel's Hotel: The DGB Philosophy Forum

The purpose of Hegel's Hotel: The DGB Philosophy Forum is to promote the healthy use of the dialectic (dialogue, discussion, debate, negotiation, integration) for personal, social, economic, political, legal, and other cultural reasons. The two biggest obstacles that tend to stop or stifle the healthy use of the dialectic are: 1. human narcissism -- an overblown me, me, me attitude; and human righteousness -- an either-or attitude that tends to block out all reasonable discussion. Oftentimes, these two out-of-balance, even pathological human traits combine together -- human righteousness masking an underlying narcissistic agenda. Usually, a healthy use of the dialectic for negotiation, integration, and conflict resolution purposes requires that both people or both parties in the dialectic get in touch with any and all narcissistic agendas on both sides of the negotiation table -- and move towards more central ground. Ignoring or trying to hide these agendas, manipulating facts and issues, putting up smoke screens, trying to coerce and-or intimidate the opponent, aiming for a win-lose as opposed to a win-win resolution -- these are all signs of a narcissistic as opposed to an ethical, humanistic-existential dialectic and tends to leave both parties resentful and non-trusting of the other party which is particularly unhealthy in any desired ongoing, long-term relationship. Ethical simply refers to negotiating with integrity. And humanistic-existential simply refers to negotiating with a balanced perspective of both self-assertiveness and social sensitivity. dgb, Sept. 21st, 2007.