The in-betweens

Abstract

My feelings are mixed when it comes to in-betweens. Some seem quite positive, others less so but necessary, and still others downright bad. They are bad when they seem to be cop-outs, a lack of decisiveness, or an abundance of expediency that reeks of timidity, preventing bold steps required by a situation—at least the bold steps that I think are required. Not to say that compromise in human affairs should not be pursued, at least when a good bargain is better than none at all. Fortunately, few situations offer stark choices between pure good and unadulterated evil, exceedingly rich and desperately poor, or between life and death. Not all choices, even tough choices, rise to the level of Chamberlain-like ignominious appeasements that fall somewhere in-between the extremes of peace and war. Everyday life presents us with much less fraught extremes to bracket our options.