Compromises

Every one of the popular modern phrases and ideals is a dodge in order to shirk the problem of what is good. We are fond of talking about "liberty"; that, as we talk of it, is a dodge to avoid discussing what is good. We are fond of talking about "progress"; that is a dodge to avoid discussing what is good. We are fond of talking about "education"; that is a dodge to avoid discussing what is good. The modern man ... says, "Neither in religion nor morality, my friend, lie the hopes of the race, but in education." This, clearly expressed, means, "We cannot decide what is good, but let us give it to our children."

Chesterton, again, of course, from Heretics

I submit that one reason we don't seem to be able to compromise is because different factions don't agree on what the "good" is. The power-hungry don't help, but when the rank and file of each party think that goodness lies in radically different things, how can you satisfy everybody--or much of anybody?

As one example, it is easy to find people who think that landing an explorer on a comet is a wonderful and good thing. It turned out to be very easy to find people who thought that the important thing was to do it with a careful dress code. To create search software is a good thing--or is the good thing to attempt it with the proper mix of self-identities? (including someone who self-identifies as a dragon...)

Is the measure of the goodness of an action your subjective reaction to it?

Michener, in a scene from The Source, wrote "with different gods her husband Urbaal would have been a different man." It seems as though we worship different gods.