SIR - The UK, USA and other 'democratic' countries now appear to be rapidly losing the ability or willingness, to negotiate constructively. Take Brexit for example. It has become a self inflicted conundrum within which most people with differing opinions seem unable reach agreement. This is often because each party takes a negotiating stance on the issue before them and seem reluctant to explore why they are failing to reach any agreement or compromise. In this stalemate attitudes and arguments harden and the gap between them widens often to points of extremism. From this point onward the parties usually start to bargain over their positions and thus any agreement over their disagreement gets more and more remote - for both of them. It is now necessary for people to learn how to negotiate an agreement without either side 'giving in'.

That was the basic theory several decades ago. However, the arrival of social media brings with it much benefit but has also become an ideal weapon for those in our society and communities who seek to use it for negative purposes.

Reaching any joint agreement between those involved just gets further and further away.

Welcome to extremism.

Tom Clinton

Cononley