Out Beyond Ideas of Wrong and Right

It’s not just a matter of black and white. In fact, there is a colour in between that both share — red, the colour of everyone’s blood. The same blood, the blood of humanity. Perhaps that is the colour we all need to focus on instead of clinging to extreme views either way. Before we are left or right, progressive or conservative, we are human. And humanity, not ideology, should be the common ground we fight to protect.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” — Rumi.

That line is not about political centre-ground; it is about stepping beyond the binaries that trap us. Rumi pointed to a space where humanity can meet outside of rigid categories, where truth and connection live in balance. Yet if we look at today’s political landscape, what we see is the opposite. Everywhere, the world is being pulled apart by extremes. Media cycles are fuelled by outrage. Social platforms amplify division. Every debate is reduced to a contest: left against right, one tribe against another. Nuance is dismissed, and anyone daring to stand in between is treated with suspicion.

The left, in particular, has shifted into a place of ideological absolutism. Dissent is not tolerated; questioning is treated as betrayal. What should be debate becomes heresy. In this sense, it has become a philosophy of master and servant — one side demanding total compliance, the other side being silenced or punished. It is a worldview where freedom is conditional, handed out or withheld by those who claim authority. By contrast, ideas on the right, while not perfect, are more often grounded in principles of equality, individual responsibility, and the recognition that each life has inherent value. These ideas echo the path Jesus walked: not dividing humanity into rulers and ruled, but affirming that no one has the right to dominate another.

Charlie Kirk, whose recent murder shocked many, embodied this tension. He was not without controversy; his positions provoked strong reactions. But even his critics acknowledged his conviction, his faith, and his willingness to stand in what he believed. Elon Musk put it plainly in a comment just this week: the struggle is no longer left versus right, it is good versus evil. And viewed through that lens, the lines become clearer. Which team is working towards the balanced field Rumi described? The one that tolerates difference, fosters coexistence, and seeks to protect freedom? Or the one that believes it can simply eliminate opposition, even through violence, in order to impose its will?

The dominant narrative still tells us that politics is about sides — red versus blue, progressive versus conservative. But the deeper reality is that it is about spirit. Extremism narrows the mind, hardens the heart, and corrodes societies from within. Balance, on the other hand, requires openness, humility, and courage. It is not easy work, but it is the work that sustains democratic life.

Neuroscience sheds light on why this matters. Studies from Brown University in 2025 show that people on the extremes of politics — whether left or right — process political information with the same rigid, emotionally charged patterns. Their brains react more narrowly, less flexibly. Moderates, by contrast, show neural variety: they can engage both emotion and reason, both intuition and analysis. This “whole-brain thinking” is the signature of resilience, adaptability, and balance. Other research on “actively open-minded thinking” demonstrates that those willing to consider alternative viewpoints, tolerate uncertainty, and evaluate evidence more fully are less prone to dogmatism, radicalisation, or blind allegiance. In other words, balance is not weakness. It is strength — cognitive, emotional, and moral.

At CWA, we argue that balance is more than a political stance. It is moral courage. Rumi’s field is not a soft compromise; it is the brave ground where truth and humanity can stand without fear. To step into that field means risking pride, certainty, and the comfort of being “right.” It means refusing the easy answers of extremism and choosing instead the harder path of integrity. And in this moment, that choice is more transparent than ever. The team that leans into balance, coexistence, and freedom is the good team. The team that silences, punishes, or destroys in pursuit of power is not.

Truth does not live at the extremes. It lives in the space between. And balance, as Rumi knew, is not optional. It is the only way forward for a fractured world.