British culture calibrates conflict response to situation. Minor conflicts should be handled informally; major conflicts may warrant formal processes. Escalating beyond what the situation warrants—”making mountains out of molehills”—is itself a failing.
This creates tiers of resolution: first try to work it out between yourselves, then perhaps involve a third party informally, then consider formal processes if necessary. Each escalation signals that lower-level resolution has failed.
The question “Is this worth the cost of escalating?” is taken seriously. Matching response to stakes demonstrates judgment; disproportionate response demonstrates its absence.
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