TL;DR: Remove subjective bias from difficult decisions by forcing AI to simulate opposing viewpoints before solving the problem.
It is incredibly hard to remain objective when you are in the middle of a heated disagreement. Your brain naturally wants to defend your side, making it difficult to see the logic in the opposition. The original poster, u/Glass-War-2768, shared a compact prompt designed to strip away that emotional bias. I found this approach refreshing because it turns the chatbot into a neutral mediator rather than just an answer generator.
The Prompt
Here is the exact text provided by the author:
[Describe Conflict]. 1. Analyze from Person A’s perspective. 2. Analyze from Person B’s perspective. 3. Propose a solution that satisfies both.
Why This Works
This prompt leverages a dialectical approach: thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. By explicitly instructing the AI to inhabit the headspace of “Person A” and then “Person B” separately, you force the model to generate context and empathetic reasoning for both sides before it attempts to solve the problem.
If you simply asked, “Solve this fight,” the AI might give generic advice like “communicate better.” By requiring the perspective analysis first, the final solution is grounded in the specific grievances and motivations identified in steps 1 and 2. It creates a chain of thought that leads to a more nuanced compromise.
Variations to Try
- The Steelman Technique: Modify step 2 to say, “Construct the strongest possible argument for Person B’s position, ignoring any weak points.” This helps you understand the validity of the opposing view.
- The Specific Mediator: Add a persona constraint at the start, such as “Act as a veteran HR director” or “Act as a hostage negotiator.” This changes the tone and feasibility of the proposed solution.
Use Cases
- Workplace Disagreements: When two departments have conflicting goals (e.g., Sales wants speed, Engineering wants stability).
- Negotiation Prep: anticipating what the other party wants before you walk into the room.
- Customer Service: Drafting a reply to an angry client that validates their feelings while protecting company policy.
This is a smart way to use AI as a logic engine rather than just a creative writer!
Check out the full discussion on Reddit.
The ‘Perspective Switch’ for conflict resolution.
by u/Glass-War-2768 in PromptEngineering