tallslenderguy wrote:
Ha, great discussion.
i think a lot of fighting is in the moment immaturity. i think we are all potential assholes (not the good kind). At any given moment. We can decide which way to go. Granted, some seem more practiced at it than others, but i think we all have that potential.
i was at Costco the other day. For some reason they design their parking lot with only one shared entry/exit. The parking lot always looks like a mall parking lot on Christmas Eve, i.e., madness and mayhem are the rule. i pulled into the exit lane as did two other cars simultaneously, nothing unusual there, but the guy behind me, for whatever reason, thought he was slighted and as he pulled past me he hung his head out the window and said: "you must be a special kind of retarded."
i'm laughing now, but it really stung at the time and i spent the next hour smarting and coming up with snarky retorts in my imagination. As i wallowed in my anger (hurt), i was simultaneously taken aback by my emotional response. No amount of reasoning with myself could shut my hurt feelings down. It's really a good thing i was not in a position to express them to the offending party. As i gradually talked myself down, i decided the best response would have been to apologize and acknowledge my possible "retardedness." The truth is, i could have missed something and really had done something stupid?
There seems to be something in human nature that derives a sense of being and security from 'knowing.' i wrestled with this in a big way as i journeyed out of a fundamentalist religious mindset. The place i reached was that, beyond arithmetic, i cannot substantiate absolutes. Of course, that doesn't discount belief or taking a stance, but there's a difference between belief and absolute knowledge. One of the things i appreciate about the scientific method is how it acknowledges our flaws and the potential for being wrong, that science is an ongoing pursuit of understanding, not an absolute end place we arrive at that can never be questioned.
To me maturity can make the difference between a fight and a debate. The fighter fights for what is 'right,' while the debater (as i see it) can believe they are right, but can acknowledge they may be wrong. I.e., one is closed to actual discussion and engagement, the other is open.
TallSlenderGuy,
I'm catching up on some things I missed. As usual, you have given a rational and end reasonable opinion.
I always appreciate what you have to say.
With that said, I will never sit, observe, read, etc someone who rewrites history, not when it concerns me .
This is pertaining to the ASSHAT in the alpha question forum. Had he not called me a liar right out the gate, I would have apologized. However as he kept rewriting what actually happened, I wouldn't have apologized even if I was on fire and the apology was the only way for the fire to be put out.
What bothered me the most though, is people's lack of reading and comprehension skills. Yes, I jumped off the cliff, it happens. However, I am always going to defend myself. Something is smelly with him and I've already remarked that to a few in private messages.
People that dip in to forums and suggest they be shut down, smh, I will never see that as a viable option. For those who like to insinuate that some ppl keep others away from forums, or that they have to run a certain way should put on their adult pants.
It seems it's always the same types that want to tell everyone else how to act, what to say, what the commentor really meant, use words like 'rant' and 'toxic' , seeking attention please, I can have all the attention I want, actually I'm somewhat of a loner, but never more so than when people make blanket statements instead of asking questions. ( the very use of these buzz words makes bile come up in the back of my throat) nobody rants, they are writing or speaking something they need to say.
I mean I could call out some names and the hypocrisy, the gossip that they think is undertones but it's not.
I guess if all they have to talk about are ellipticals, and feeling challenged bc someone disagreed with them, well gossip forward.
Solace brought up a good point, I would love to see several people from here venture into some groups on the other site.
I'm going to close this by saying not one of these people that I've mentioned here (not in name, but they know who they are) has ever had a conversation with me, I don't recall any questions, only BS.
Always trying to one up people, I have a great capacity for understanding where someone is trying to come from, that doesn't mean I can't ask questions, bc that is how we learn in life.
There are days a plenty that I don't even come here. I do wonder what will happen to those who try and rewrite what is already in black and white.
Or the day they pull the net switch.
That's going to be fuuun.
I can swim.