In a pure consensus process, people do not express their preferences, but instead agree to consent to the option that they believe is best for the group. The participants at a meeting work together to solve the problem "what is the best option for this group (including those not here)?". Using this process, people must gather enough information and discuss all the options enough to determine the advantages of each option for the group (and its ramifications for other important entities). Through this process, the group may also need to learn how each person feels about each option and how strongly they feel to see if the option matches the needs and desires of the group. Depending on the decision, though, this may be unnecessary. The final decision may not be anyone's first choice (and it may even be many people's last choice), but everyone recognizes that it is the best choice for the group and consents to it. The main advantages of a good consensus process is that it encourages cooperation and problem solving and discourages factionalism and ego-attachment. It also ensures that no minority is oppressed or railroaded.