--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conflict may be defined as a situation of…" description: "\"Conflict may be defined as a situation of competition in which the parties are aware of the incompatibility of potential future positions, and in which..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/kenneth-e-boulding-3728_competition_conflict-may-be-defined-as-a-situation-o_2438961.png" --- # Conflict may be defined as a situation of competition in… ![“Conflict may be defined as a situation of competition in which the parties are aware of the incompatibility of potential future positions, and in which each party wishes to occupy a position that is incompatible with the wishes of the other.” quote by Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/kenneth-e-boulding-3728_competition_conflict-may-be-defined-as-a-situation-o_2438961.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/kenneth-e-boulding-3728_competition_conflict-may-be-defined-as-a-situation-o_2438961.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/711/kenneth-e-boulding-3728_competition_conflict-may-be-defined-as-a-situation-o_2438961.png) > “Conflict may be defined as a situation of competition in which the parties are aware of the incompatibility of potential future positions, and in which each party wishes to occupy a position that is incompatible with the wishes of the other.” [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conflict is a recognized competition where each side wants a position that blocks the other's desires. **In simple terms:** Two sides compete for opposing goals. Key Takeaway Recognize opposing goals early. Themes competition awareness incompatibility goals Mood tensive reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - negotiations - team projects - policy debates - relationship counseling Key Concepts systems theory strategic interaction Questions to Reflect On - What does each side truly need? - Can a compromise satisfy both? A Different Perspective Often parties overlook shared interests that could resolve the clash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Incompatibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompatibility/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [A game is a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-salen/a-game-is-a-system-in-which-players-engage-in-an-artificial-conflict/) [Katie Salen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-salen/) > [“Together, we form a necessary paradox; not a senseless contradiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/together-we-form-a-necessary-paradox-not-a-senseless-contradiction/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [There are degrees of incompatibility, and there are more factors relevant to upholding democracy and human rights than the operation of neoliberal markets. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/there-are-degrees-of-incompatibility-and-there-are-more-factors/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are but how you deal with incompatibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-counts-in-making-a-happy-marriage-is-not-so-much-how-compatible/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [as everybody knows, truthfulness and agreeable manners are often divorced on the ground of incompatibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-deland/as-everybody-knows-truthfulness-and-agreeable-manners-are-often/) [Margaret Deland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-deland/) > [I don't think there is any incompatibility between science and mysticism . . . Immanent religion is the only form of religion in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/i-don-t-think-there-is-any-incompatibility-between-science-and/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“An omnipotent god can create a being whose acts are known only to itself. An omniscient god cannot do this. It would appear, then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-r-la-croix/an-omnipotent-god-can-create-a-being-whose-acts-are-known-only-to/) Richard R. LA Croix > [The notion that persons should be safe from extermination as long as they do not commit willful murder, or levy war against the Crown,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-notion-that-persons-should-be-safe-from-extermination-as-long-as/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [When there's a good fit between skills and expectations, there's what we call compatibility, and we would expect a good outcome. 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Why not mandate premarital sex, overseen, of course, by the Marriage Board to ensure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-rosen/one-of-the-leading-causes-of-divorce-is-sexual-incompatibility-why/) Mike Rosen > [Incompatibility. In matrimony a similarity of tastes, particularly the taste for domination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/incompatibility-in-matrimony-a-similarity-of-tastes-particularly-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [People don't scream or swear or pout or sulk when there's compatibility. But most growth occurs when there's incompatibility. When it comes to resilience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-w-greene/people-don-t-scream-or-swear-or-pout-or-sulk-when-there-s/) [Ross W. Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-w-greene/) > [“The hardest part about being back in the human world was relearning emotion. Everything a wolf does has a practical, simple reason. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-hardest-part-about-being-back-in-the-human-world-was-relearning/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More by Kenneth E. Boulding > [ \[In science any model depends on a pre-chosen taxonomy\] a set of classifications into which we divide the enormous complexity of the real world...… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/in-science-any-model-depends-on-a-pre-chosen-taxonomy-a-set-of/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [If we saw tomorrow's newspaper today, tomorrow would never happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/if-we-saw-tomorrow-s-newspaper-today-tomorrow-would-never-happen/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [It is clear that the building of models is not a purely mechanical process but requires skill of a high order - not merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/it-is-clear-that-the-building-of-models-is-not-a-purely-mechanical/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [Even personal tastes are learned, in the matrix of a culture or a subculture in which we grow up, by very much the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/even-personal-tastes-are-learned-in-the-matrix-of-a-culture-or-a/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [In view of the importance of philanthropy in our society, it is surprising that so little attention has been given to it by economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/in-view-of-the-importance-of-philanthropy-in-our-society-it-is/) [Kenneth E. 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Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [Economic problems have no sharp edges. They shade off imperceptibly into politics, sociology, and ethics. Indeed, it is hardly an exaggeration to say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/economic-problems-have-no-sharp-edges-they-shade-off-imperceptibly/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [The world moves into the future as a result of decisions, not as a result of plans. Plans are significant only insofar as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/the-world-moves-into-the-future-as-a-result-of-decisions-not-as-a/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [Mathematicians themselves set up standards of generality and elegance in their exposition which are a bar to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/mathematicians-themselves-set-up-standards-of-generality-and-elegance/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [The concept of need is often looked upon rather unfavorably by economists, in contrast with the concept of demand. Both, however, have their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/the-concept-of-need-is-often-looked-upon-rather-unfavorably-by/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [Conventions of generality and mathematical elegance may be just as much barriers to the attainment and diffusion of knowledge as may contentment with particularity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/conventions-of-generality-and-mathematical-elegance-may-be-just-as/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [Nothing fails like success, because we do not learn anything from it. We only learn from failure, but we do not always learn the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/nothing-fails-like-success-because-we-do-not-learn-anything-from-it/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) > [At the opposite pole from the gift is tribute - that is, a grant made out of fear and under threat. A threat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-boulding/at-the-opposite-pole-from-the-gift-is-tribute-that-is-a-grant-made/) [Kenneth E. Boulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) [Explore all 123 Kenneth E. Boulding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-boulding/) ## More Competition quotes > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [People think that the Club World Cup is an easy competition, but it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/people-think-that-the-club-world-cup-is-an-easy-competition-but-it-s/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [“At times, competition can be a good thing. But a person's value isn't something that can be ranked, is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hotaru-odagiri/at-times-competition-can-be-a-good-thing-but-a-person-s-value-isn-t/) [Hotaru Odagiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hotaru-odagiri/) > [Our competition has always been anything that is wasting your time when you're bored at work. In a broad sense. We want people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/our-competition-has-always-been-anything-that-is-wasting-your-time/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I've always considered making it legal for Americans to import their prescription drugs a free-trade issue. Imports create competition and keep domestic industry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/i-ve-always-considered-making-it-legal-for-americans-to-import-their/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [Honestly, we’ll compete with everybody. I love competition. As long as people invent their own stuff, I love competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/honestly-we-ll-compete-with-everybody-i-love-competition-as-long-as/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [I try to keep up with everything - all wrestling across the board. I want to know what the competition is doing, what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hardy/i-try-to-keep-up-with-everything-all-wrestling-across-the-board-i/) [Matt Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-hardy/) > [Sometimes in England, people look down at the Europa League, but being from the continent, I've always realised what an important competition it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mignolet/sometimes-in-england-people-look-down-at-the-europa-league-but-being/) [Simon Mignolet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mignolet/) > [“There is a scene in one of the Rocky movies where after the match Apollo Creed and Rocky are waiting for the scoring of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-passaro/there-is-a-scene-in-one-of-the-rocky-movies-where-after-the-match/) [John A. Passaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-passaro/) > [I've always written. When I was in school, the only teacher who ever liked me was my creative writing teacher. I used to enter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-townes-earle/i-ve-always-written-when-i-was-in-school-the-only-teacher-who-ever/) [Justin Townes Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-townes-earle/) > [Competition between men is a fuel that's useful to us. We have to be careful that it doesn't tell the same story over too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/competition-between-men-is-a-fuel-that-s-useful-to-us-we-have-to-be/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) [Browse all 3,894 Competition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conflict may be defined as a situation of competition in which the parties are aware of the incompatibility of potential future positions, and in which each party wishes to occupy a position that is incompatible with the wishes of the other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kenneth E. 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