I Power
Scientific Research & Self-Development Activism
A few reflections on arguments and the mindset of being right
Our society today has become a lot about how people are making things worse or being wrong, and finding ways to promote our own ideology while putting down another persons beliefs without realizing that they're as convinced about their right-doing as us. I've found myself being drawn into it, my twitter and news feeds constantly spew negativity and it's very easy to get drawn into these negative and sometimes outright hateful emotions. People are lining their pockets with cash and trying to change the law to allow themselves not only to make what they do acceptable, but enable it as well. There are people wanting to lower the taxes and get rid of public healthcare, or people wanting to limit immigration, and it's very easy to blame these people for what is wrong with our world, but the truth is that these people are not evil.
I don't believe there's a single person out there just to do wrong. They might be temporarily upset and make choices that negatively affect other people, but more often than not, these people are just misguided. They think that what they're doing is right. In the example of copyright protectors - they honestly think that piracy is threatening their business. And I can understand them, and if I were in their position with their knowledge of how piracy works then I'd be worried too. So treating them like evil madmen out to censor everybody or destroy the internet isn't going to help us. What's going to change their opinion is knowledge, understanding, and fair treatment.
And it's not only us that's sometimes treating them in a way that doesn't benefit anyone, they do it too. We all do. Going into an argument with the mindset "I'm right - he's wrong" isn't going to make him listen to you, because he has the same mindset himself. He's not out to do bad, he's just misguided. Or perhaps it is us that are misguided.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michael Smith on -
This is a lot like a post i put on my blog a few weeks ago. The idea of hate towards those that know not what they do, and how hating these people does not solve the problem. I do think there are those out to do wrong however, but a majority of people are just sheepid as i call them. They gravitate towards a group that has a few similar ideologies tho not entirely every facet of the group. I am glad to know there are other out there that see this issue.
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Permalink Reply by Lawrence Carson on -
Brilliant post Jonathan.
My rhetoric question to society is simple. What is it going to take for the average man, woman and child to realize - deep down within - that we ARE NOT OUR BELIEFS!
We are manipulated by these beliefs. They control our every thought. They control our every emotion. They control our every behavior. We are their hosts ... protecting their occupied dominion within our minds as though our identity ... our very being was ... is ... and will continue to be ... totally dependent upon them. They are the alpha ... we are there fodder of sustenance. Such idiots we are froze within the shadowy caves of our ignorance of our cowardice ignorance.
For those that cannot “emotionally want to” grasp what I am desperately trying to say … because of how my words irritate the h@## out of their emotional defense league … may I suggest they Google the nature and source of such belief concepts as Carl Jung’s Archetypes … the Greek’s nine daughters known as the Muse … or the Sirens … or for a more contemporary spin on those “living and self-sustaining belief systems” look up the nature and definition of meme .. memes … or mimetic engineering.
“I think not so much the farmer owns the cows as the cows own the farmer” - H. D. Thoreau
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Permalink Reply by Jonatan Lindgren on -
Well, to be honest, I don't think the average man and woman will realize it. I have no doubt that we can further educate or help people understand themselves and each other, and others can do the same to us. I do have quite high expectations or beliefs in humanity, when it comes to helping others. A vast majority of the people I've met want to help others, but they don't show the same enthusiasm when it comes to helping themselves. Sometimes it's because you usually have to get a lot closer emotionally to be able to talk to someone about themselves, but also because people are, well, ignorant. I do think there's always the possibility though, and just because I don't think the average man or woman will realize that they aren't their beliefs it doesn't make me think I can't help some people. It kinda goes back to my first post, if you go into the right mindset and knowledge, you can achieve wonders.
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Permalink Reply by DAN on -
Before entering the discussion I would like to know what your understanding of "wrong" is
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Permalink Reply by Lawrence Carson on
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Who are you asking? :-)
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Permalink Reply by The Shiznit on -
@DAN - Great question. :-D
This is me, btw: lol
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