How to Reason With the Unreasonable?
It's a constant reminder of that silly old dance of two steps sideways, one step back; one step forward, three back again. You don't cover very much of the dance floor, and since it's formulaic, there's little rhythm, no satisfaction, grace denied. A certain recipe for frustration since there's no opportunity for expressing oneself with grace and a certain determination to sweep the dance floor in a grand exhibition of athletic prowess and charm.
Ugh. It's like trying to reason with someone incontrovertibly, happily wedded to unreason. Content to harbour misconceptions and unrealities, to haul out the same old tired exceptions and deceptions, never willing to engage in real dialogue where both participants exchange honest views in an effort to reach an comprehensive understanding. Which is perfectly fine if you've nothing really invested of a personal nature, but horribly irritating when the other instigates exchange with no intention of real engagement.
This obtuseness can be inborn or learned, it can express an individual's unwillingness to join the land of the mature and the informed. It can also be an inherited trait, a cultural trait, even an inherent trait. Whatever its genesis it can drive an earnest debater to utter madness with the futility of the effort. So why try? And that's an excellent question.
Why is it that we try to persuade others to come around to a more well-rounded view of something? To challenge their intelligence or ours? In an effort to contribute to an informed intelligence base from within a given population? Then take up the teaching profession. What a potent mix it can be, to engage in a learned/ignorant conversation of situations which encompass politics, human nature, religion.
One wonders, is this someone who delights himself in being deliberately obtuse. Or is this person simply a committed denier? Irrational denier for all that, completely oblivious to the place of truth and reality in the equation. No wonder so little confidence can be placed in words that seem to say one thing, but whose meaning is in the ear of the receiving-hopeful.
Truth is not, after all, an elusive element forever dancing about in one's head. It can be demonstrated in so many different ways. One can point out consequences which are inevitable, a result of certain modes of behaviour. The truth of the matter is the exchange of dialogue is worthless without honesty, a willingness to listen, to learn, to share.
What a fool it is who attempts the impossible.
Ugh. It's like trying to reason with someone incontrovertibly, happily wedded to unreason. Content to harbour misconceptions and unrealities, to haul out the same old tired exceptions and deceptions, never willing to engage in real dialogue where both participants exchange honest views in an effort to reach an comprehensive understanding. Which is perfectly fine if you've nothing really invested of a personal nature, but horribly irritating when the other instigates exchange with no intention of real engagement.
This obtuseness can be inborn or learned, it can express an individual's unwillingness to join the land of the mature and the informed. It can also be an inherited trait, a cultural trait, even an inherent trait. Whatever its genesis it can drive an earnest debater to utter madness with the futility of the effort. So why try? And that's an excellent question.
Why is it that we try to persuade others to come around to a more well-rounded view of something? To challenge their intelligence or ours? In an effort to contribute to an informed intelligence base from within a given population? Then take up the teaching profession. What a potent mix it can be, to engage in a learned/ignorant conversation of situations which encompass politics, human nature, religion.
One wonders, is this someone who delights himself in being deliberately obtuse. Or is this person simply a committed denier? Irrational denier for all that, completely oblivious to the place of truth and reality in the equation. No wonder so little confidence can be placed in words that seem to say one thing, but whose meaning is in the ear of the receiving-hopeful.
Truth is not, after all, an elusive element forever dancing about in one's head. It can be demonstrated in so many different ways. One can point out consequences which are inevitable, a result of certain modes of behaviour. The truth of the matter is the exchange of dialogue is worthless without honesty, a willingness to listen, to learn, to share.
What a fool it is who attempts the impossible.
Labels: Social-Cultural Deviations
posted by Pieface @ 5:37 PM
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