I was talking with someone online the other day and we were talking about something that could be considered a little controversial.
As we all know nowadays that usually means that either you see this topic my way or we aren't friends anymore.
Or, it can mean that since you don't share my views on this I am going to publically humiliate you and shame you for your beliefs.
But you know what...
It hasn't always been like this.
In the not too distant past, you could actually have a conversation with someone, and if you had differing opinions that was okay.
Yes, let me say that again... "It was okay."
I know that sounds so radical right now and I know it doesn't jive with anything going on in our society today, but believe me or not it is true.
We used to be able to have something called an "Intellectual Conversation".
What is an Intellectual Conversation you might ask...
It's a conversation where two people who were both intelligent would sit down and have a conversation about any given topic and share their opinions and views on things and if they didn't match each other you know what... It was okay.
They were both adults and intelligent about it and when it was all said and done they either learned something new and some views might have changed or they agreed to disagree about this certain topic and they got up from the table as friends and carried on with their lives.
- They didn't start calling each other names.
- They didn't start violently attacking each other.
- They didn't start burning the other person's house down.
- They didn't publically try to shame, mock, or humiliate the other person.
- They didn't label them or try to degrade them in some way.
They just agreed to disagree on this topic, stood up from the table, and walked away still as friends but with a deeper understanding of how each other thought and felt about the certain topic they were discussing.
I know, I know, that's a very revolutionary idea for our current day and age.
Why would anyone want to have a conversation where we can't call each other names, violently attack them, or burn their house down if they don't agree with our personal viewpoint?
Seems so foreign to us nowadays doesn't it.
Why would anyone want to be civil and have an intellectual conversation when they can let their feelings and emotions take over and do a bunch of bat shiz crazy shiz?
Where is the fun in that?
Listen folks it's not really that hard...
It's called RESPECT.
If you respect someone then you are willing to sit down and have an intellectual conversation with them.
If you don't respect someone then you will have those other kinds of conversations.
It's really that simple.
So here is my final piece of guidance for you the next time you go to have a conversation with someone.
If you respect the person you are speaking to then sit down with them and have an "Intellectual Conversation". Take all of your feelings and emotions out of the conversation. State your thoughts and opinions and be open to hearing their thoughts and opinions. If at the end of the conversation you don't agree on certain points... You know what that is okay. Agree to disagree, and stand up from the table still as friends and go have dinner together and talk about something totally different.
If you don't respect the person then don't even waste your time or breath to have a conversation with them. Save yourself all of the pain and suffering and just walk on.
Life is way too short to waste it having conversations with people you don't respect or who don't respect you.
Leave me a comment below and let me know if this makes sense to you?
Or, do you think I don't have a clue?
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