http://www.pathawi.net/b-log/2005/11/13/sneer-divide-conquer/ Pensaments of an Anthropological Patzer Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:20:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://www.pathawi.net/b-log/2005/11/13/sneer-divide-conquer/#comment-52 NotSoMuch Tue, 15 Nov 2005 23:53:25 +0000 http://www.pathawi.net/b-log/2005/11/13/sneer-divide-conquer/#comment-52 Someone else said it first (and probably said it better) but: we learn more from talking to those who are not of like mind that we do talking to others whose opinions mirror the ones we already have. But we avoid doing that. It is easy to talk to people when it is easy to talk to them. We take the path of least resistance. Listening to others with significantly different views takes discipline. Speaking your own views to someone with significantly different views takes skill --- you learn if you really know your own stuff. When talking to like-minded people, it takes less vigour. You can "get away with more" laziness. We will just be separate tribes inhabiting and defending separate territories if we only talk among ourselves. Less "great divides". Less anger, fear and loathing. More diplomacy and respect for difference ... I say. Which is to say: I agree with what you said Someone else said it first (and probably said it better) but: we learn more from talking to those who are not of like mind that we do talking to others whose opinions mirror the ones we already have. But we avoid doing that. It is easy to talk to people when it is easy to talk to them. We take the path of least resistance. Listening to others with significantly different views takes discipline. Speaking your own views to someone with significantly different views takes skill — you learn if you really know your own stuff. When talking to like-minded people, it takes less vigour. You can “get away with more” laziness. We will just be separate tribes inhabiting and defending separate territories if we only talk among ourselves. Less “great divides”. Less anger, fear and loathing. More diplomacy and respect for difference … I say. Which is to say: I agree with what you said

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