I think most interpersonal conflicts are based on misunderstanding. People are usually cool until someone, through misunderstanding, thinks someone else has said or done something uncool. Instead of assuming the best and trying to understand the other person, we too often assume the worst and, if anything, try to confront that person in a condescending and dismissive way. The typical outcome, of course, is that feelings get hurt, enemies are made, everybody feels self-righteous, and nobody learns anything. An unfortunately common and surprisingly inept state of affairs for a species that figured out how to go to the moon almost half a century ago.