Hard Feelings
I enjoy participating in message forums. I especially enjoy being able to discuss controvesial issues in an objective manner with intelligent people of differing opinions. I have found a forum where the ability to find that sort of conversation is high and I’ve made some friends there. The problem with making genuine freinds in forums such as this is that eventually you will get into a discussion where the passion of the topic run so high that feelings will become hurt or people will just get mad. That will happen between friends at times and that has happened to me recently.
I have a friend, someone whose opinion I value greatly, angry with me because of an opinion that I hold that she disagrees with. The problem is compounded by the fact that I won’t appologize for my opinions. If you can show me where I’m wrong I’ll change my opinion but I won’t apologize for the opinions that I have held. To me that would be the same as apologizing for free thought. I won’t do that.
She will get over her anger eventually but for now she is angry with me and that hurts. For the life of me I can’t understand why people get angry over such conversations. If we disagree, we disagree, but it isn’t like changing or not changing my mind is going to have any impact on her life. I guess for now I’ll just talk to her about the weather and wait for a while before getting into anymore controversial topics with her. It’s a shame too because she can really make me think my positions.
Friends | Larry D. Burton | 09 March 2006 |
3 Comments
Other Links to this Post
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
By Felix Miller, 3/9/2006 @ 6:14 pm
That is a problem when you get to know and like folks on a message board, and you disagree. On some topics it is hard for a person who has personal experiences coloring her opinion to separate debate from personal emotions.
I read the exchange I am sure you are referencing, and thought immediately that feelings were going to be involved. I am sorry that such tensions can arise over debates between two friends, but that will happen.
By cat, 3/10/2006 @ 9:48 am
If you mean me, you’re wrong. I’m not mad at YOU at all.
The subject in its scope and long term meaning does, but your opinion does not. I’m far more likely to be disgusted with the fellow I know towards DC that’s arguing with me in his own journal about how men should have the right to a formal “abortion” via the courts than I am you, who simply believes a piece of legislation won’t cause the problems that I believe will come about.
By Larry D. Burton, 3/10/2006 @ 12:49 pm
Cat, that makes me feel a lot better.