The Genius of Opposites

Chapter 4Bring on the Battles

“We often hate each other, but it’s the kind of hatred that’s like flint and steel—the sparks that come out make it worth the while.”¹¹

—Penn Jillette on his long-time partner in magic, Teller

Bring on the Battles—see disagreement as necessary to arrive at better outcomes because you challenge each other to come up with better solutions together than you would alone.

Back in 1956, Dr. Alice Mary Stewart, a physician and epidemiologist, came out with a shocking article published by the British medical journal The Lancet. Her article cited data showing that the X-rays taken of pregnant mothers actually caused childhood ...