#5 If you can't argue the opposition's opinion you don't deserve your own.
I'll rephrase this.
If you do not have the ability to at very least empathize with a viewpoint, understand how someone might get to that viewpoint, and then be able to defend THAT viewpoint, you have not spent enough time in thought and consideration of your view point to be anything more than what you think your opposition is.
That being:
A holder of an Emotionally Driven Opinion.
To be perfectly clear, You do not have to agree with the viewpoint, you don't even have to like that viewpoint... but until you can defend that viewpoint you can not justify your own opinion on the topic properly.
An example:
I don't think that human sacrifice is acceptable, the taking of life for blessings from a diety...
Yet.
I support the military; lives often sacrificed for the blessing of freedom and security. I also don't have to accept that every war is right or just. Or diminish the life cost by hating, tormenting, or belittling the people who fight for me.
I also sacrifice my life, and my family, to allow your lives to be better. Being a truck driver, I am indirectly or directly involved in everyone's lives. I am also disliked and shown disrespect regularly on the roadways, by the very people I serve, because I cost them 30 seconds in their existence by providing them the service of food and goods.
Comments
Post a Comment