Something I want to "get of my chest". I get snagged around rhetoric that is not true that is used to convince people of a blatant lie. It is my problem, but one in which I find very hard to ignore. When I get snagged I try to expose the context of the lie, which usually creates controversy/arguments. I have been trying to let these things not bother me and just let them pass by. Is that really the best idea? Don't we need to stand up for the truth?
Now there are some really big issues that we are very divided. Most everything can become a divisive issue if we want to get into that kind of conversation, or we could try to understand the issue at hand, rather than hand out cherry picked examples to give the argument weight. Those cherry picked things can be truthful, but they are not the bigger picture. It becomes regressive because someone is arguing a point that is highly suspect. That is what gets me.
I must respond with arguing for context and the bigger picture. From now on though I am not going to bite... thanks @RadishRose for the nudge...you have the best solution to my nagging problem. Boy do I feel better just getting all that weight I feel off my chest when trying to make the world a better place.![]()
Hey, come join us in the hot tub. We are not supposed to talk politics in the hot tub but if no one objects it happens. I love it when someone has a different point of view and we question each other and therefore learn from each other. If nothing else it is a great exercise of communication skills when people are committed to being reasonable and avoiding emoting.
We do need to stand up for the truth, but determining what that is is not so easy. I think a big problem is either or thinking, true or false. Many times the issue is not about facts but perspective. From our different perspectives things can look different. Or the truth is this AND that. Yes abortions are terrible, but they can be necessary. Yes, government control can cause a problem but things could be worse without it. How do we work with the bigger picture for better results?
This is the first time in history that there has been so many long-lived people and I think that might lead to better awareness because of what our years of accumulated information does to how we think. We have broader perspectives as we accumulate more knowledge.