I feel sorry for people who agree completely with the views and beliefs of everyone with whom they associate. It would be like living in an echo chamber with nothing but “yes men”. There’s no challenge there, and there is no room for growth — nothing but people saying the same things over and over and everyone nodding their heads in mutual agreement. I would venture to say the end result of everyone splintering off into their own little factions, sitting in their own little echo chambers, isn’t a peaceful world moving forward into the future. It would be a stagnant world full of closed minds, repression, and hostility. Us vs. them, and them, and them. Is that the sort of world anyone wants to live in? I don’t.
I’d rather live in a world where we don’t always agree and yet are free to hold our own views and disagree while still working together for everyone’s benefit, a concept currently either viewed with contempt or as being outright ridiculous and impossible. But it isn’t impossible, and it certainly isn’t contemptuous to work with people, even be friends with people, who don’t share 100% of your views.
Think about the people you work with, go to school with, go to church with, are friends or acquaintances with, and aren’t there some among that group who hold views you do not agree with? Maybe some views you think are stupid, or which even make you angry? If not, you live in a small world. If you do, how do you continue to associate with these people … and why?
I just want to toss that out there tonight. I’ve just taken tonight’s dose of Nyquil, so my brain will be useless in a matter of minutes, so more on this tomorrow as my cold permits.
I’ve been described by a co-worker who really likes me a “quirky”. I think that is a polite way of saying “irritable old bastard who doesn’t agree with anyone on anything.”
i grew up in a religious conservative household, and was the little liberal, atheist black sheep. as such, i’ve heard it all, and just kind of ignore it when someone says something i don’t agree with. unless i’m drunk, but that doesn’t happen very often. my bestie in my junior/senior years of college was a total homophobe, and i would be lying if i said some of her comments didn’t hurt. ultimately, the friendship ended one night when, over a beer, i admitted i was bi. (and not in the “i’m bi and i have a crush on you” sense – not my type – but in the “i’m bi. just so’s you know” sense.) stupidly, i’d hoped she’s realize that teh gayz are real people, and fine to hang around with. not so much.
aaanyway, i think it’s probably good to spend time with people you don’t agree with, as long as it’s not harming you in some way. it’s good to be open-minded, but not if it means listening to hate language. the minute you start spouting the n-word or something, the conversation’s over.
I get the “artist” label, which means that people who think I am the one with crazy thoughts can blame it on me being one of those insane crazy types. But I do get “quirky” and “eccentric” thrown my way as well, by those who don’t know I am an artist. :lol:
gish: Ha, me too. Total black sheep in the family. At the moment, I think I am being considered a socialist communist terrorist supporter. Whatever.
As far as my social circle goes, so long as they have some redeeming qualities, things about them I enjoy being around, and can keep their fool mouths shut on the things they know will set me off (which I do in turn for them as well), I can get along with just about anyone, and sometimes being exposed to people who are very different is a good thing. But yeah, the first time any of them says anything beyond the pale, I tell them to never say that crap around me again. The second time, I just stop dealing with them at all and remove them from my life.