What a great idea; consider what life is like in the other guy’s shoes. It can change your outlook.

Students, administrators and police were asked to do role reversals at Waterford High School recently, part of a case study by Dr. Carol Hobert, a professor at Boston University who utilizes such role playing to help better understand and promote conflict resolution.

Twenty-two students, six teachers/administrators and two Waterford police officers participated. The students had to handle a challenging scenario from the perspective of playing the roles of parents, faculty and police. The police argued from the perspective of students who got into trouble, while faculty members play-acted the role of students familiar with the and entangled by the scenario presented.

The scenario was hardly farfetched. A party is held shortly before graduation. A high-performing student-athlete soon to graduate gets caught with a little pot. Complicating matters, it comes from the stash of a mom prescribed medical marijuana. It has the potential to ruin the student’s college plans.

In this highly partisan time, many of us could benefit from considering the standpoint of others, rather than retreating to the comfort of the like-minded perspectives of the fellow members of our “tribes.”

It is easy enough to turn to people, networks, websites and reading sources that enforce one’s viewpoints. But truth growth − and a strenthened argumet −might come from considering where those “others” are coming from.

The Day editorial board meets with political, business and community leaders to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Timothy Dwyer, Executive Editor Izaskun E. Larraneta, Owen Poole, copy editor, and Lisa McGinley, retired deputy managing editor. The board operates independently from The Day newsroom.