When Your Hear a Great Argument

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Lem Usita

April 9, 2012

…….. you should totally listen to them. And I’m not talking about 2 people arguing necessarily, although great arguments can lead to arguing. You know what I mean.

You don’t have to agree with them. In fact, if you are able to listen to them and accept that they are great arguments – even better.

I have written about people that are always right – click on this one – If You Wanna Be Lonely. There are those that can only accept their arguments. They can’t even recognize a great argument because they’re never wrong. Do you know anyone like this? They’re always right – never wrong. They are not able to listen to you even when you make a fine argument.

I love hearing a great argument. I love it more when I am able to make a great argument. I love it most when someone hears a great argument, and even though they disagree, can still recognize a brilliant argument. Two individuals disagreeing with each other with respect and dignity is a thing of beauty.

But that can only happen if you are able to hear a great argument.

4 responses to “When Your Hear a Great Argument”

Nics Cahill

April 11, 2012

I love to listen to debates. Clever, well thought out arguments inspire, and educate. THey give the mind a bit of a battering, because we hear things eloquently argued that we might not have ever dreamed, of entertaining, and suddenly these ideas, are actually now quite appealing.

I find discussion fascinating, because it stretches the mind, and allows us to explore. Many people I have discovered as I have travelled, hate to have their minds stretched, and actually find a genuine question about something they believe, can turn into a tail spin. Almost by asking the question why, or suggesting something for them to consider, I have baslemphed their worldview. When the reality is being questioned, and having to think deeply, actually strengthens our worldview, our identity, because it makes us own something if we have to defend it.

Hope you had a great Easter.

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1. Lem Usita
  
  April 11, 2012
  
  I have found that the most brilliant people that I know have the ability to suspend judgment and recognize great arguments.
  
  I like that you added this idea of a “blasphemed their worldview.” I have a post brewing that I’m calling “enter a worldview.” I love that you mentioned it here. I need to get to that post. Your comments are causing me to write more posts. hahaha.
  
  Easter was great. I am still celebrating it today. It makes me sad that everyone posted about it on Sunday, but nothing on Monday. Lame. Oh, and Christmas is today as well – just in case you were wondering.
  
  Reply
Nics Cahill

April 12, 2012

Oh I am really looking forward to that post. Glad to help you with further posts.

That is great that you are still celebrating Easter – it all seems to be a build up to Good Friday, then Sunday with us, then two days off work, and straight back to the grindstone.

You are right the most brilliant people do suspend judgement. I often find myself practicing to do that. For example I happened to have dinner with a group of Christian people over you side of the pond, but north in the frozen shores of Lake Ontario. One guy wasn’t a Christian, and was tired of a Christianise worldview being thrown at him. So tired, that he was continually coming up with crazy ideas to try to offend those who were speaking to him. Ideas like we were all really robots, and how do we actually know who Jesus is, sure maybe he was an alien. His ideas were wild, and interesting, and it was fascinating, listening to his worldview, and how he came to have these ideas. When we talked, it was clear that he was very angry, and I just listened to what he had to say. It was challenging it was diametically opposed to what I believed but it was really interesting, to see and hear how he came to believe what he was saying. After a long evening of listening, he said to me, ‘Gosh, Nicky, I am so sorry if I have offended you, with anything I have said.’ When I told him he hadn’t he looked shocked, and couldn’t quite believe, that I wasn’t angry with him for holding views so different to my own. We then had a really stimulating conversation, about how you can’t really argue faith, and that it all comes down to perspective, and story. When I said to him, ‘I can’t tell you what to believe, or why, all I can do is tell you my story.’ He seemed to find a freedom in our conversation.

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Jay Rando

April 12, 2012

Agreed with this, my Bro has this friend who is never wrong or at least his ego gets in the way and only he can be right (that type of guy). My brothers opinion on something he said just wouldn’t be accepted regardless by him, he just couldn’t accept that someone else has a differing opinion to his.

Listening, nodding, even if you don’t agree with someone else is cool. I find when someone argues with me i am that calm that that i actually end up liking that someone doesn’t agree on some things i say.

‘Agree to disagree’ is a good term i use, i think disagreements should be enjoyed more than hated so that way we can all enjoy each others thoughts a lot more. Its a shame that some people don’t like or accept others opinions/facts but hopefully they will grow to know some day that their way of being right all the time isn’t productive.

Thanks for sharing.

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