When is the last time you disagreed with someone? Are you ever around anyone who has different ideas from yours? Do you work in a place where politics and religion are off base, where you just do not discuss anything that could lead to disagreement? Do you see disagreement as a bad thing? Had you rather appear to agree with something that you really disagree with than to enter a discussion of the disagreement? It might be time to rethink your interactions.
As our country has become more polarized, people have gone to their respective corners in the discussion arena and hunkered down. We often do not want to carry on a discussion or even talk with folks with whom we know we will have a conflict. We may avoid the topics or even avoid the people.
But in that circumstance how will we ever come to peace? We are not able even to “agree to disagree” without a discussion of the issues. Those of us who avoid disagreeable discussions may do so because we believe our opinions are so right and anyone who holds any other opinion is so solidly wrong that there is no point in discussion. That smacks of arrogance. If we are going to live together in peace, we need to learn how to really listen to each other and try to understand what the other person is thinking.
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