I received a funny comment today. I'd mentioned that I write about a wide range of topics on my newsletter - democracy watch, media literacy, global humanism, climate change, economics, scientific literacy, historiography - but this more conservative person then explained why he doesn't engage with it.
The "moods" comment is hilariously patronizing, but I also know that, while I advocate for constructive dissent as critical to democratic thinking, many see dissent as intrinsically negative. /x
I believe that being clear about our subject-positions is the path not only to personal integrity but also a flourishing pluralist society and democracy. But I'm also not surprised that holding my opinions strongly might make others afraid to answer with strong opinions of their own. (And if they foist that fear off on me, as not wanting to "upset" me, so be it.)
But the whole point of sharing ideas is to be part of a bigger conversation. How dull that chat would be, if we all thought alike! /×
Pretty full of themselves,
if I do say, @MLClark 🙄
He took a couple of rhetoric classes recently. He is very proud of what he learned from them! 😅 Like a first-year psych student who warns everyone that they now know how to manipulate the masses.
Read like some fancy-shmancy mansplaining to me, @MLClark
😅 Garden variety, honestly.
But not a bad first attempt! Maybe after a few more classes, he'll ace the assignment.
"You can't handle the truth," wordily paraphrased, @MLClark 😉
It is very cute that he thinks his dissent would just devastate me.
I hope you're having a fun day yourself! The mall has grown too loud for work (everyone's too excited!), so I'm packing up to head home for the next three hours to finish a key task. Then game time!
I hope so, @MLClark 🤞 I've been a James fan since he played with Bayern.
@cmskiera
I agree, but there's always a chance that Colombia will play well enough to keep officials from having the opportunity to skew results! 🤞🏻