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SnowInTheWind's avatar

Truths are real, but finding the truth can be difficult. Any one of us can be wrong about what we believe to be the truth. Talking it out against other people with different beliefs is how we check and correct our beliefs, and theirs.

I agree that the notion of "my truths/your truths" is relativist lunacy. But "my beliefs/your beliefs, and let's argue to find out which are right and which are wrong" is the humble reality we are always left with if we want to find the truth. Censorship prevents us from doing that.

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Shelley's avatar

That's has never worked for me, conversations that is.

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SnowInTheWind's avatar

It's tricky, because everyone has so much ego invested in their beliefs. I try to avoid slamming the other person, and to give their views a fair hearing even if I don't agree with them.

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Shelley's avatar

Do they give your views a fair hearing even if they don't agree with them?

I get shut down quickly.

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SnowInTheWind's avatar

Quite often they do, though it depends on the person and the issue. I think it's also largely a matter of how well they trust me to listen fairly to them, and that's a reputation thing that needs to be built up over time.

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Shelley's avatar

My general nature is to not discuss anything that causes disagreement. I find too many people wed to decades of indoctrination and so I let them keep their fantasies. I refuse to talk any politics with a younger brother because of his attitude that both parties want what's good for America, just different ways to get there. He has a serious case of blindness and hearing difficulty in my opinion!

How many people has your reputation managed to save from their delusions? I hope it is dozens. There are a lot to convert.

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SnowInTheWind's avatar

I'm actually a lot like you in person. I usually just listen to what other people say, to get a handle on their position. It's good education for me, and lets me sense the ground so that if I do get the opportunity to say something I can make it count.

General conversion isn't necessarily the aim. Finding a little patch of common ground and coming together over that can be a good opportunity to slip in something that isn't in the narrative they've been indoctrinated with. They can chew on that and maybe it will loosen the hold the thing has on them. But it needs baby steps, so they can keep their own dignity.

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Shelley's avatar

You have more patient than I. The older I get the less patience I have.

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