While driving to my family's for Christmas I passed by a full sized billboard on the side of the highway advertising for marijuana grow-op supplies. I should point out that I happen to live in Canada, British Columbia to be specific, and for better or worse BC has North America’s most liberal laws and attitude when it comes to drugs (see Forbes). Personally, I found it odd to see such a billboard, but my personal opinion is beside the point. The question that came to my mind while driving past the sign was: I wonder what most Americans would think if they saw such a sign on an I-way in the USA?

To my way of thinking, I suspect most – but not all, Americans would have the same gut wrenching feeling that most – but not all, Canadians feel when they see an ad for guns in the USA: oh, that’s just wrong! So who’s really right? Actually, I think there’s a much more useful issue to consider rather than debating whose got the best bud, Mr. Wizer or Mr. Reefer. And that issue is to try and understand why the other side feels the way they do.

Now I know that for hot button topics people don’t like to mix words, let alone metaphors. But it seems to me that the degree of repulsion for the other side’s position on this is not simply an abstraction, it’s an exaction. It just seems so obvious that one side - your side, is completely right on all counts on this issue – doesn’t it?

My point is that there is little to be gained simply by agreeing with yourself. Why not try to understand the other side simply by realizing that they probably feel as if your bud is encroaching on their bud. That is, even if you know in your gut that you will never – ever, buy into their argument, why not try and at least understand how it must feel – to them. If nothing else, REALLY understanding where your opposition is coming from is one of the best tools you can have if you really want to pull their rug out (brinkmanship is so 20th century (passé)).

So why not try it on again:

Canadians feel about American gun laws as Americans feel about Canadian drug laws.

And rather than default to one of these buds based upon your nationality, why not try on the other side’s bud even if it is just for a cerebral moment.

Kenichi Ohmae, a Japanese national, once wrote a book entitled, Now that I Have Seen the World, I Can See Japan Better. In times like these, when the tide toward a borderless world seems to be creating more dams than spillways, I think it’s even more important for global citizens to understand and feel where their neighbors' neighbours are coming from. In the end, you don’t have to agree, but it’s when you don't agree in the beginning that’s really worrisome. (And in case you were wondering, I’m not a big fan of bud).