Beware of the half truth
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Beware of the half truth
you may have gotten hold of the wrong half
A recent post by Collin Hinds, my colleague here at MMA, created a mini-storm of rudeness, aggression and incivility of which I was a major part. The post was titled “Digital Rage”. The subject matter was about (irony alert) being civil to each other on-line.
Insults were traded both here and on Facebook, it all became rather silly. A couple of days later I am in a forgiving mood, so I offer my digital hand out and forgive the rudeness aimed at me and MMA and apologize for calling someone a liar and a shit-stirrer. I regard myself as a strong person and as Gandhi said: “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Gandhi’s blood brother, Buddha, summed anger up thus: “You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.” As someone who prefers to reside on the whimsical side of life, I believe every minute I spend angry, upset or mad, it is 60 seconds of a chance at happiness I’ll never get back.
Letting go a little gives a person a little peace, letting go a lot gives a lot of peace. So, with that in mind, I am dismissing the shit-storm of rudeness from my thinking, it cost me 6 friends on Facebook, but I’m sure they’ll survive that, plus my tomatoes need watering.
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Even most moderates will not change their minds. The difference is that most moderates don’t claim to own the truth, whereas most others do.
If someone seems just as intelligent as you are in IQ tests, logic puzzles, reading comprehension and non political / social debate, you can assume that they are just as intelligent and reasonable as you are in political and social philosophy, even if their opinions are diametrically opposed to everything you call true. All it means is that you are starting with set of opinion/faith based axioms and they another.
Neither of you get to own reality or truth and there is no reason to consider that either of you are more intelligent than the other or have a more reasonable opinion.
My opinions are the exception that proves the rule.
Well shit. There you have it.
Lively exchanges stimulating, but most of us do, from time to time become a bit sharp. We’re all big kids, though, so a little thicker skin, and little slower on the keys when some ones riling you… and try to think how children can be so mad at one another one minute, and then back to playing the next. Though I envy them that, I also try to emulate that.
and try to think how children can be so mad at one another one minute, and then back to playing the next
I see this at some sites, such as Dave Dubya’s Freedom Rants.
It is a good lesson. Look to the child. They don’t understand anger well enough to hold onto it. We don’t understand anger enough to let it go.
There are a few things that should be taught in school, just as the ABCs and arithmetic are taught.
1. The anatomy of anger is one.
2. Logic and critical thinking is another: Cognitive dissonance, confirmation bias, common fallacies.
3. Self-reliance, a la Emerson, and the ability to not treasure ones on opinion.
4. How unimportant almost everything that worries us is and how a year from now the things that seem most dire are usually forgotten. They call it don’t sweat the small stuff now.
5. That happiness is partially learned, and like all studies, those educated in the field and trained in the art, are better at it.
“Look to the child. They don’t understand anger well enough to hold onto it. We don’t understand anger enough to let it go.” Very nicely said, sir.
Hear, Hear!
The only people who can tolerate being disagreed with are those who are prepared to be swayed. Hard left, far right and hard-core religious people are very difficult to engage, because generally they won’t change their mind or the subject.
Rule 1.) Don’t sweat the small stuff.
Rule 2.) It’s all small stuff.
Much more difficult in practice than in principle, but it’s helpful when you need perspective.
A good fight from time to time is good for you. The world is full of idiots and once in a while they need to be hauled up by their bootstraps.
I can’t argue with that. On the other hand, it’s like what my dad has always said about this sort of thing. “You don’t have to take care of the asshole. Somebody up the street’ll do it for ya.”
Funny, in a moment of remorse after brutalizing a fellow blogger unjustly, I posted a piece, http://www.jmyste.com/2011/03/gentlemans-victory.html back in march. In it I argued that all those who contentiously blog, end up losing, and those who avoid a debate are the winners because only those who avoid a fight achieve their goals. Angrily opposing those who disagree only strengthens their resolve. You never convince them, which was your intention, so you lose.
My personal blog is fairly new and I don’t blog there much. I tend to favor long comments on others’ blogs. That being said, this post received more opposing commentary from injured bloggers than any before it. I inadvertently accused everyone who ever posted an opposing view of ungentlemanly conduct. In retrospect, the post was unnecessarily aggressive!