“Change your thoughts and you change your world,” said Norman Vincent Peale. But he was obviously not reckoning on today’s political culture, which seems resistant to change–at least when it comes to minds.

Despite the results of the 2006 midterm elections here in the U.S., American politicians and pundits continue to laud the virtues of “staying the course” as sound strategy for political success–and not just when it comes to the Iraq war, but to all kinds of issues. Consistency, congruity, unswerving loyalty not just to people but chiefly to ideas and causes–these hold high value in American politics and culture.

There is no greater insult in America today than “flip-flopper”, a label anyone with political ambitions is eager to avoid. It’s as if the act of changing one’s mind as the result of reasoned self-reflection is somehow as shameful, as, say, lying about sex with an intern, rather than a mark of maturity and character.

Certainly anyone who changes their views with the prevailing wind as a matter of political expediency deserves our condemnation, as do those who fail to keep their promises, both political and otherwise.

But as a mediator I have to ask, what’s so great about consistency anyway? If you’re going in the wrong direction, what’s the problem with heading in a better one? When exactly did it get to be a bad thing to change your mind?

Maybe it’s because mediators see people change their minds all the time. A mediator, nudging disputants toward understanding, may help them walk around a problem, lift it up, turn it over, and examine it from all sides. We witness individuals gather new data, test their assumptions against that data, and reach very different conclusions from the ones they initially arrived with. We see them admit or address mistakes and make necessary course corrections. And watch how these acts open the door to new possibilities and greater gains.

As Charles Kettering once said, “Where there is an open mind there will always be a frontier.”

If you’re confounded by 21st century digital technology, don’t feel bad. Your ancestors probably had a tough time, too, with their own version of the desktop computer.

See what I mean by watching “Medieval Helpdesk“, a clip on YouTube from “Øystein og jeg,” a show that appeared on Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) in 2001.

(Thanks to my brother for this one.)

The World Directory of Alternative Dispute Resolution Blogs has just reached a milestone–with the addition of two new blogs today, it now lists 100 blogs.

The two additions are:

Lawlady’s Divorce Blog. This blog is published by Stefani Quane, a Seattle, Washington based holistic divorce attorney, who dispenses advice and commentary on collaborative divorce, lawyer marketing, career development, and, according to Stefani, “whatever else strikes me as interesting”. Stefani has this to say about her work–words which will resonate with many of my readers:

Over the years, I’ve learned to merge psychology, economics, business sense, and esoteric arts into a new type of lawyering called “holistic law.” I’m not the only new breed of lawyer striving to bring heart and common decency back into the practice of law. We’re an emerging force. We go by different names, such as collaborative lawyers, or renaissance attorneys.

Stefani wants to hear from her audience and encourages her readers to get in touch to share their ideas and comments. (I could use your help identifying more renaissance voices like Stefani’s, so if you know of any, please let me know.)

Pronoia Mediation. Laura Noah, the author of this recently launched blog, emailed me to tell me about her blog, and sent me the following delightful description: “Laura L. Noah, owner of Noah Mediation Services in Oak Park, Illinois perceives conflict as an opportunity and mediators as the agents of this bizarre but creative potential. Part personal essay, part venting and spiritual exploration, and all about making connections, this blog turns daily experiences into a hotbed of discussion on the important role conflict plays in our lives and the rewards and challenges faced by mediators.” Laura is new to blogging, so I invite my fellow ADR bloggers to roll out the red carpet, say hi, and make her welcome.

As always, I depend upon you to let me know of blogs that you think might make a good addition to the World Directory of ADR Blogs project. If you wish to add your blog or someone else’s to the Directory, please let me know. It’s a commercial-free site, and there is no cost to be listed.

The Directory has information on submitting your blog and submission guidelines.

Monday came early this week.

Blawg Review, the weekly review of the best in law blogging published each Monday by a different legal blogger, appears a day ahead of schedule in honor of its milestone 100th edition.

This week its anonymous editor, Ed., serves as host with a retrospective of 99 editions of Blawg Review.

Blawg Review is remarkable for many reasons. Not only does it offer links to bleeding edge news and ideas in the legal field–something it consistently achieves week after week under the guidance of a dedicated editor with the support of equally dedicated volunteers–but it also provides readers with a new and unique perspective on the law, refracted through the lens of each week’s host. It also provides a way for bloggers to participate in and contribute to the legal community online. It thrives on the spirit of egalitarianism–legal luminaries and ordinary mortals mingle. Status matters little; quality of conversation counts. And readers of Blawg Review benefit from the wide range of voices and viewpoints.

Be sure to visit Blawg Review #100 to experience it for yourself.

(And don’t forget that Diana Skaggs of Divorce Law Journal hosts Blawg Review #101 next week. I’m really looking forward to her presentation–knowing the quality of Diana’s writing, it should be a good one.)