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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Elisabeth Kubler-Ross introduced a ground-breaking theory in her 1969 book On Death and Dying, regarding the five stages generally experience by terminally ill patients, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Since that time, we have realized that the concept can be expanded to some degree. Examples would be dealing with other losses besides death, such as divorce, a huge financial setback or the end of career.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The EKR theory can help explain conflict in groups of people dealing with a common tragedy, such as a family dealing with the loss of a child for instance, or a company which loses a huge contract to a competitor and is ruined. The members of the group at different stages of DABDA tend to find themselves in conflict with each other.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Let us try to use the EKR notion to interpret the flailing acrimony regarding the recent conniptions of the US government. I think it explains a lot of what we are seeing and hearing.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If we try to apply EKR theory in this novel manner, the first thing to identify is what is the crisis or tragedy? Unless we can focus on a common assumption there, the experiment will fail.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>spike<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>