The Art Of Debate - Why it's okay to have a different opinion
I would like you to think for a moment.
Remember the last time you encountered an opinion different from yours.
Be that online, at the dinner table, in the workplace or with a stranger.
Reflect on this a moment.
How did you react? How did the conversation go?
Were you angry, offended, defensive, or open and understanding.
Finally, how did you feel after the encounter?
Whilst we often see our own opinions as something to be protected at all costs, there was once a time when we welcomed those who perceived the world differently than ourselves.
The library of Alexandria in Ancient Egypt was a meeting place for students such as Euclid, Ptolemy and Hypatia as well as people from all over the world. They would often come together in order to debate and consider alternative opinions. Learning from each others cultures and taking the information back to their homelands.
However it would seem in this modern age that no matter where you look, be it the media, news, social platforms or even your friends and family. Everybody has an opinion. We have slowly but surely been boxed off into our separated beliefs, taught that our specific doctrines are correct and anything that differs from them is wrong. Whether it’s the left, right, alt left, alt right, atheist, Christian, male or female. There always seems to be something out there to keep us divided.
More often than not, if we could put aside our ego’s, we would begin to see that in fact there is far more we share in common than we do not.
The fact that our beliefs differ is the very reason we are able to craft such beautiful architecture, art, and books.
Could you imagine a world where we all thought and acted in the same way, each belief and thought process being identical?
Is that a world you would want to live in?
Unfortunately more and more of us take opinions as a personal attack. If our beliefs or point of view are challenged we feel as if we must defend them, often resorting to an attack on the invading party. This of course has been perpetuated by the world of social media.
As much as it has helped us connect globally, it has also shone an unforgiving light upon the less desirable traits of modern society. I am of course referring to ‘the trolls’. Social media opened the door to an insatiable amount of opinions and boy did they come. Charging in their hordes armed with fast fingers and keyboards made of steel. Marching upon the battlefield of their chosen platform forcing their opinions on all whom cross their path and tearing down the beliefs of anyone that opposed them.
But this does not need to be the case. We all possess an incredible power only gifted to us as humans. This is the magic of the imagination. Okay, I am sure you’re thinking what on earth does imagination have to do with a logical and reasoned debate. But in reality, the majority of the arguments that go on today seem to be void of either of those.
With our imagination we possess the ability to not only see life from our own point of view but to also place ourselves into the shoes of another person. This is the true meaning of empathy. We genuinely possess the ability to take ourselves away from our own conditioned mind-set and for a moment see how and why another person may view the world the way they do.
When we open our minds like this, we are able to understand their perspective. Discovering what made them reach their conclusion, why they think the way they do and where they are coming from.
Of course we can’t do this just by imagining. We have to engage with the person, speak and ask questions; be willing to understand their minds and their point.
Suddenly, instead of entering a battlefield with the sword of our opinions raised high, and the shield of our perception blocking out anything that may change it. We come together as artists. Crafting new perspectives by sharing and exchanging our ideas, in the hope that we can help each other reach a deeper more meaningful understanding. We engage as human beings, eager to learn and open our hearts to one another.
The best thing about this type of conversation is that we both win regardless of the outcome.
If you discuss and engage with another person you may understand where they’re coming from and why they’ve reached that conclusion. But you may still feel as if your opinion is correct. However at least you now understand the alternative view and you can begin to strengthen and develop your perspective in relation to that.
However, upon investigating this persons beliefs, diving deeper into their minds. Something quite magnificent may happen. You may discover a pearl. A piece of information you had perhaps never considered or even thought of. This wisdom can then be combined with your opinion and perhaps help in changing your own current worldview.
You both walk away as victors, fulfilled and pleased with the outcome.
This is a special gift we as humans possess and I feel that at the moment we aren’t utilising it enough.
I appreciate that you can’t do this with everybody and I am sure sometimes questions may be met with hostility, but if we approach opinions this way, those encounters shall be in the minority. So the next time you’re confronted with an opinion that conflicts with yours, take a moment to try and understand where they’re coming from. If we make this a daily practice it shall help us all in creating a healthier more balanced worldview.
And let’s face it; we most certainly need more people with that!
Very good post! The main reason why society is so screwed up today, is that people have forgotten how to agree to disagree. That, and there is no respect from r others’ opinions anymore. It is sad, but true.
Thank you, I completely agree. Hopefully we can all start leading by example! :)
All our petty tribalisms section us off from the political community. Each tribe is relegated to its own division but must force conformity there just to maintain the whisper of solidarity forestalling further breakdown into smaller and smaller sub-tribes. This is all because we do not know how to act in the public sphere, for which reason too we do not know to belong to a political community. And why do we not know how to act in the public sphere? Because we don't know why! And what is that why? Because we are human! What does that mean? Now we are entering the realm of metaphysics and should begin a discussion.
A question I ask myself most days, what does it mean to be human? I believe we've all forgotten what unites us. Instead focusing on that which pulls us apart. Perhaps this is not by accident, as it feels like this type of behaviour is encouraged within society. What do you think it means to be human?
I haven't worked this out yet. I know to be human is in one part environment and one part essence. But where the environment begins and a person ends is not a rigid boundary. Is it at the surface of your skin? Do we inhabit bodies as consciousness? It is unclear. But clearly, when we talk about what it means to be human we are talking about the human condition and human nature, because we implicitly accept that human beings are conditioned creatures and simultaneously capable of consciously shaping their conditioning. The will to create or initiate conditioning, essentially 'choice', is godlike, for what is a god but a creator of meaning, one who wills things into existence. The foundational philosophy of Western Civilization says as much: that men are made in the image of God. Yet human beings are mortal and must in their material existence obey the rule of Nature. So they are not supranatural as modern men like to think. If anything they are supernatural because they are more like union of the finite and infinite quality of the kosmos than even Nature or God. Why this matters, I don't fully understand. But it must somehow. This dualism has to be at the heart of what makes us human. How do you understand humanity?
I apologise for my delay in responding. Unfortunately Steemit does not afford us with the luxury of notifications yet! I believe you have articulated that rather wonderfully. Honing in upon your conditioning point, I agree. We certainly have the ability to consciously condition (create) ourselves. Be that through education, habit-building or life experience. However I would suggest that the majority of society today is conditioned unconsciously. We are shaped and moulded during our most malleable years by those who often do not have our own interests at heart. Be that at school, work, by parents or friends. I see people talk of 'waking up' or 'escaping the matrix'. I believe these are just analogies for finally becoming conscious and seeing how our perceptions have been shaped. I believe, once we become aware of this, we put ourselves in a position to pro-actively 'create' ourselves. This duality you speak of. It seems to be a fundamental teaching of some religions. Whether that be the two pillars of the Kabbalah, As Above So Below in Hermetics or the 'divine male and female'. I know these descriptions tend to fall within the realm of 'pseudo-science' or 'new age'. But I do believe there is perhaps something fundamental we can discover within esoteric teachings...... if approached with a critical mind. I studied one teaching that proposed the duality as the left and right brain hemisphere. Whether that holds any substance I'm not sure, but neuroscience is certainly opening doors to a deeper understanding. I'm also aware that in Alchemy, the Alchemists were not only practicing Science, but focusing on a development of consciousness. "Aurum nostrum non est Aurum Vulgi" - Translates as "Our gold is not a common gold". Suggesting it was not the physical lead into gold the alchemists desired. Instead within the mental/consciousness plane is where they sought their 'gold'. I don't believe Science and 'Religion' have to be opposites. Instead if approached correctly could form a symbiotic relationship revealing a deeper understanding of the human condition. Unfortunately Religion has such a terrible past and Science has become dogmatic, in many aspects similar to a Religion. What are your thoughts on this, do you believe Esoteric Teachings hold substance to them ?
Great post, we live in a high speed world where people don't have time to talk as they once did. We certainly need to return to basics and find enough humility within ourselves to listen to others.
Thank you!
I completely agree, we often see progress as constantly moving forward. However I agree that a return to our roots could certainly help us all in connecting more. Thanks for your comment :)
It's funny i see your post now...seems to be my theme today as i commented somewhere else that the culture of constructive controversy is lost. And because i said that i was thinking about the reasons why. I thought about the education we get today not to offend anybody - to hold back your true thoughts - to be political correct and so on.... You brought up some more points i didn't think of and i wish i had seen them earlier so my answer would have been more detailed ;) . And you are so right that we need more people with the ability to differ what a human says and who he is in general and not to make up a war if someone says something different from your own beliefs. More people who try to understand their opposite...and more people who are willing to listen and learn from other people..
Something else: i saw you above talking about notifications or better the lack of them in steemit ;) . There is a solution .... take a look at ginabot - it's very helpful :)
https://steemit.com/ginabot/@ginabot/ginabot-the-best-notifcation-service-in-the-steemiverse