--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conflict isn't negative, it just is." description: "\"Conflict isn't negative, it just is.\" — Thomas Crum" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/thomas-crum-36252_conflict_conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is-3299_3299.jpg" --- # Conflict isn't negative, it just is. ![“Conflict isn't negative, it just is.” quote by Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/thomas-crum-36252_conflict_conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is-3299_3299.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/thomas-crum-36252_conflict_conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is-3299_3299.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/thomas-crum-36252_conflict_conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is-3299_3299.jpg) > “Conflict isn't negative, it just is.” [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) ## 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 neutral fact; its value depends on how we respond and what we learn from it. **In simple terms:** Conflict is neutral, not inherently bad. Key Takeaway Response determines conflict’s worth. Themes conflict neutrality perception growth Mood thoughtful calm Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - team disagreement - family negotiation - political debate - personal inner conflict Key Concepts psychological framing dialectical process Practical Applications - Practice active listening during disputes - Reframe conflict as a learning opportunity Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform a harmful conflict into constructive dialogue? - What limits exist on the neutrality of conflict? A Different Perspective Some conflicts cause irreversible harm regardless of response. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Conflict isn’t merely physical, Old Wusong. Every interaction is a battle. An exchange of words for instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-burch/conflict-isn-t-merely-physical-old-wusong-every-interaction-is-a/) [Adam Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-burch/) > [If you just kind of let yourself stay alone and be by yourself, the negative, it is just not going to help you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-krieger/if-you-just-kind-of-let-yourself-stay-alone-and-be-by-yourself-the/) [Ali Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-krieger/) > [If you take a negative, turn it inside out, it's still a negative. You're just revealing the ugly inside of negative so I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/if-you-take-a-negative-turn-it-inside-out-it-s-still-a-negative-you/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Sometimes comedy can be, like, negative and just the worst parts of ourselves coming out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-griffin/sometimes-comedy-can-be-like-negative-and-just-the-worst-parts-of/) [Erik Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-griffin/) > [“I wish you would stop being so negative. I'm not being negative; I'm just facing the truth. The truth is you have a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-e-brunstetter/i-wish-you-would-stop-being-so-negative-i-m-not-being-negative-i-m/) [Wanda E. Brunstetter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-e-brunstetter/) > [I just push away everything negative. Just do what you want to do and believe that you can do it and you will do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryse-mizanin/i-just-push-away-everything-negative-just-do-what-you-want-to-do-and/) [Maryse Mizanin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryse-mizanin/) > [If you focus on the negative side, it just brings your confidence down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-stroll/if-you-focus-on-the-negative-side-it-just-brings-your-confidence-down/) [Lance Stroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-stroll/) > [When things begin to go negative, sometimes we just have to cover our ears and not let such circumstances influence us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-alves/when-things-begin-to-go-negative-sometimes-we-just-have-to-cover-our/) [Dani Alves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-alves/) > [The negative is just as important as the positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellsworth-kelly/the-negative-is-just-as-important-as-the-positive/) [Ellsworth Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellsworth-kelly/) > [I don't think anyone strives to be anything negative. I just think that it's our nature to only focus on a few things in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-don-t-think-anyone-strives-to-be-anything-negative-i-just-think/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [The number one goal in resolving a conflict is to make sure both sides maintain their self-esteem. Resolving conflict is rarely about who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/the-number-one-goal-in-resolving-a-conflict-is-to-make-sure-both/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [Negative public opinion of a conflict and the politicization of the military can negatively affect service members and contribute to PTSD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-keilar/negative-public-opinion-of-a-conflict-and-the-politicization-of-the/) [Brianna Keilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-keilar/) > [One of the lessons learned during the Vietnam War was that the depiction of wounded soldiers, of coffins stacked higher than their living guards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/one-of-the-lessons-learned-during-the-vietnam-war-was-that-the/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Thomas Crum > [What would it be like if you lived each day, each breath, as a work of art in progress? Imagine that you are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/what-would-it-be-like-if-you-lived-each-day-each-breath-as-a-work-of/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [The number one goal in resolving a conflict is to make sure both sides maintain their self-esteem. Resolving conflict is rarely about who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/the-number-one-goal-in-resolving-a-conflict-is-to-make-sure-both/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [It is hard to change our point of view in a conflict. Most often, it is because we are not nearly as interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/it-is-hard-to-change-our-point-of-view-in-a-conflict-most-often-it-is/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [Instead of seeing the rug being pulled from under us, we can learn to dance on the shifting carpet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/instead-of-seeing-the-rug-being-pulled-from-under-us-we-can-learn-to/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [The quality of our lives depends not on whether or not we have conflicts, but on how we respond to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/the-quality-of-our-lives-depends-not-on-whether-or-not-we-have/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [Being willing to change allows you to move from a point of view to a viewing point - a higher, more expansive place, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/being-willing-to-change-allows-you-to-move-from-a-point-of-view-to-a/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [Change does not take time - it takes commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/change-does-not-take-time-it-takes-commitment/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [When conflict becomes a win-lose contest in our minds, we immediately try to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/when-conflict-becomes-a-win-lose-contest-in-our-minds-we-immediately/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [It is very difficult to apply the old Indian adage 'Do not judge another until you have walked a mile in his moccasins,' unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/it-is-very-difficult-to-apply-the-old-indian-adage-do-not-judge/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [Embracing conflict can become a joy when we know that irritation and frustration can lead to growth and fascination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/embracing-conflict-can-become-a-joy-when-we-know-that-irritation-and/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [Conflict can be seen as a gift of energy, in which neither side loses and a new dance is created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-can-be-seen-as-a-gift-of-energy-in-which-neither-side-loses/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [Our lives are not dependent on whether or not we have conflict. It is what we do with conflict that makes the difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/our-lives-are-not-dependent-on-whether-or-not-we-have-conflict-it-is/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) [Explore all 13 Thomas Crum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) ## More Conflict quotes > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [There is a conflict in the Middle East between two entities, and they're both right, each in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-is-a-conflict-in-the-middle-east-between-two-entities-and-they/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [The irrepressible conflict propounded by abolitionism has produced now its legitimate fruits - disunion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-irrepressible-conflict-propounded-by-abolitionism-has-produced/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These are all good things, I said. But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [“While there is battle and hatred men have eyes for nothing save the fact that the enemy is the cause of all the troubles;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-butterfield/while-there-is-battle-and-hatred-men-have-eyes-for-nothing-save-the/) [Herbert Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-butterfield/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [All men have an instinct for conflict: at least, all healthy men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/all-men-have-an-instinct-for-conflict-at-least-all-healthy-men/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [“How we traverse the space between us when conflict arises has a profound effect on the health and longevity of our relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/how-we-traverse-the-space-between-us-when-conflict-arises-has-a/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [What a country calls its vital economic interests are not the things which enable its citizens to live, but the things which enable it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/what-a-country-calls-its-vital-economic-interests-are-not-the-things/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) [Browse all 3,969 Conflict quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conflict isn't negative, it just is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Crum" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conflict" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/thomas-crum-36252_conflict_conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is-3299_3299.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/thomas-crum-36252_conflict_conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is-3299_3299.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/737/thomas-crum-36252_conflict_conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is-3299_3299.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Conflict isn't negative, it just is.” — Thomas Crum", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Crum", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Conflict isn't negative, it just is.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```