What if two tenets pull against each other?
The Accord has three steps for weighing them, and the When the Tenets Pull Against Each Other screen walks through them.
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Why this comes up
The Accord says its commitments are not all equal in weight, and that they will sometimes pull against each other.
Real life does not let you live up to every tenet at once. The Accord gives three steps for what to do then.
Where to find it
Open the Human Accord screen, scroll to About the Accord and tap When the tenets pull against each other. The Families screen has a link to it too.
The three steps in plain words
- Some lines stay put. A few things are close to absolute, such as never murdering, raping, torturing or enslaving anyone, and never violating another person's body or mind. No promised good overrides them.
- Weigh the rest. Lean toward protecting people's ability to run their own lives and toward less needless suffering. Give real weight to the people actually affected.
- If careful people still disagree, decide in a way that is fair, open and can be changed if it proves wrong. Do not use force.
What the screen has
The screen shows the Accord's own wording of each step, with a plain-words version under it. It also explains the two kinds of care and gives worked examples.
Some examples are about dying, about force and about people who have hurt you, so read them at your own pace. They show how the Accord thinks and do not rule on your own situation.
At the bottom you can pick two tenets that pull against each other in something you face, and answer one question for each step.
Saving what you write
It saves to your Tenet Journal, and the entry is private to your account.
If it cannot save, your answers stay on the screen so you can try again.
What it does not do
Nothing in SOS applies the steps for you or decides anything. The screen is for reading and for thinking, and it is not legal or medical advice.
If a case brings up something heavy for you: Call or text 988 at any time to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If you are in danger right now, call 911.