Concept · Unit 1 of 5 · 6 min

Three layers

Every disagreement has three layers, and almost all public argument happens on the shallowest one.

Position — what someone says they want. "Build the road." This is where conflict is loudest and agreement is rarest.
Interest — why they want it. "I need to get to work in under an hour." Interests are often compatible even when positions clash head-on.
Value — what they are protecting underneath. "People shouldn't be cut off from opportunity." Values overlap far more often than anyone expects.

The move

Ladder down. Ask "why does that matter to you?" two or three times, on both sides. Positions that cannot be reconciled routinely rest on interests that can, and on values that are nearly identical.

Two people, opposite positions

Person A

Position: more police in the neighbourhood.
Interest: my children should be able to walk home safely.
Value: safety, and the dignity of not being afraid.

Person B

Position: fewer police in the neighbourhood.
Interest: my children should not be stopped and searched.
Value: safety, and the dignity of not being afraid.

Identical values. Identical interests, phrased from different experiences. Opposite positions. If they argue about the position, they will fight forever. If they start from the shared value, they can design something neither would have proposed alone.