Are We Taking Ourselves Too Seriously?
So hear me out. Three years ago around this time, my friend and I had just gotten good pay and decided to go to one of the fanciest restaurants in Iraq. The place had a seating area outside and the weather was nice, we sat out there wearing our fanciest clothes.
We were talking and slowly the subject shifted to be about Trump and that's when our discussion got heated. I won't say who stood for what as it is not the point.
Anyway, we kept arguing intensely as our food for which we paid around 40$ each was getting cold. The intensity continued and escalated, then it stopped when we saw this dirty, old, homeless guy passing by us.
Ever Wondered How We Look Like From A Poor Person's Perspective?
I know if you were American, that subject might of more importance to you. But, we were two Iraqis and yet we were essentially fighting about an issue that neither affects us nor we affect it. Why was the argument so intense?
I just wonder how a homeless, poor person would feel and think as they go through the streets and hear people like me and my friend argue so intensely about politics. At least politics gets a pass, sort of, but how would that person see people insulting each other because of whether Breaking Bad or Game Of Thrones is the better show? Totally Breaking Bad by the way.
The same goes for sport, and let's not forget all the fights between classic rock fans and Korean pop.
I am not saying let's not talk about those things because of how our discussion would be viewed. I am just saying, is it worth shouting, insulting, and sometimes even cutting ties with someone because of how they view things?
I am also not only talking about silly things. But like even the most serious of topics, some opinions are formed by experience and I could tell you right now that I never managed to convince anyone of my point of view in a sitting.
So, treat it like it is, a conversation to pass time. Don't let someone's opinion destabilize your core or use your opinion to hurt others. Simply put, don't take any discussion too seriously. No one saved the world by proving how superior soccer is compared to baseball.
So Relax
If a discussion isn't serious enough to have as intensely in front of people with bigger problems, it's probably not worth having as intensely at all. You, me, or whoever can be wrong at any given moment. And even if we're right, and Nickleback is in fact a garbage band, who cares?
They have a saying in the pubs in Ireland and some signs on the door. Don't talk about politics and religion. They always end in an argument.
Smart.
I've always found that getting upset by someone else's opinion of something gives them a type of agency/power over you. I mean, we are all human and we've all taken offense at someone who disagrees with us, for it feels like an attack on us personally, but I like how you just said, so relax. At the end of the day, our annoyance is really only affecting us and causing us discomfort. Definitely not worth it.
And thank you for an awesome, pause and ponder writeup, I loved it!
Exactly! And I agree with the bit about discomfort.
I am glad you found it worthwhile.
Good morning, or, er...Evening? Yay time zones!
Anyway, lol, I have really enjoyed your writing and perspective, you have this glorious way of communicating things in a to-the-point, relatable, and often humorous manner that I truly enjoy!
And that's about all I have at the moment, must go find a mug of coffee...
There are some topics that are "third rail" as soon as they are brought up, it brings on strife and argument.
The homeless poor are less affected by this programming because their daily effort isn't wrapped up in pop culture and politics, but on survival.
TRUE.
I agree. This point adds a lot to the match.
That video makes a cool one song, which proves the point lol
What is important for someone to discuss is different for everyone, and that can change at any time in your life. Example? When I had a ton of euros in my bank account, money wasn't a significant item to talk about, and I wouldn't think of discussing with my partner about something he might want to buy for his hobby. When the bank account was empty, that same thing, no matter how small, suddenly became very essential.
No one is in the same shoes and to get an idea of what is important for someone to discuss you should really be in the other person's shoes.
Respect for each other, that is a general fact. And that is the most essential for me.
That's a nice clarification with that example. I can relate to that issue.
Thank you for this wonderful comment.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. We can disagree with someone without getting mad or upset. I think it is OK if friends disagree, even argue as long as they realize it is ok to be different. Thanks fir the post.
Yeah, one of the points of the post is how we should just accept that disagreement and be more okay with them.
Love the article...except for the utter disrespect shown toward GoT. How could you? 😂😂😂
I just think Breaking Bad is the better show. Which after the latest seasons, you have to agree with me.
I admit GoT fell off the rails a bit in the final two seasons, and the ending was less than stellar. BB was an excellent show too; perhaps, I just suffer from recency bias. 🙂
Yes, Amir, It is all about perspective. Once you look outside your zone, then you realize that it really does not matter.
Perfectly phrase, I wish I thought of that!
Yeah there’s definitely things that get people all jacked up in a conversation lol. I don’t really spend much time talking about them, especially where I live because my thoughts differ a lot from people that live near us. I’ve only gotten in an argument like that once and it was on moral issues of the person and them not being a scumbag which they continued to be so I haven’t talked to them in many years.
There are certainly things that people we know have stopped talking to or associating with us over and it’s quite sad actually. I think it’s sadly a product of the way people are coerced into being. It’s the eventual goal of the social credit system when we can’t talk about things like normal people without getting heated. I enjoy talking about things from an open minded stance but when I know the other person isn’t going to be open minded about it I usually steer clear.
Definitely, it's not worth hurting others or ourselves just to push our views on them. It's far more important to keep friendships than try to argue. Respect should be in any conversation.