Understanding

[Texsox]

When you read or hear someone of good character and intelligence say something you find unfathomable, what do you do? Do you even give it a second thought? The Vick dog fighting thing has me thinking. I found comments by Sanders, Whoopie and others to be so off base, so wrong, I could not image anyone actually saying them. Similar to some of the Mr. KapCleveland2k5 posts I've read through the years.

 

My reflex is always to try and figure out why they believe that. I know they aren't uneducated, amoral, fools, so there must be some underlying logic.

 

So I ask, does anyone even pause and try to understand the other side? I know that asking questions and probing around here usually ends in an argument, but there are other places to research.

[NorthSideSox72]

When you read or hear someone of good character and intelligence say something you find unfathomable, what do you do? Do you even give it a second thought? The Vick dog fighting thing has me thinking. I found comments by Sanders, Whoopie and others to be so off base, so wrong, I could not image anyone actually saying them. Similar to some of the Mr. KapCleveland2k5 posts I've read through the years.

 

My reflex is always to try and figure out why they believe that. I know they aren't uneducated, amoral, fools, so there must be some underlying logic.

 

So I ask, does anyone even pause and try to understand the other side? I know that asking questions and probing around here usually ends in an argument, but there are other places to research.

There is maybe some logic, but its also very emotional. When you are involved in a heated, emotional debate, something political... and you someone says something on one extreme that offends you... a person may sometimes tend to say something on the other extreme in a reactionary way, even though that person may not really be on that extreme. The current information overload and soundbyte society we are in only amplifies that problem by replacing discussion with one-liners.

 

[Texsox]

NSS, that makes a lot of sense, I know many times it is only later, when I'm driving or such that I think, what the hell was Kap thinking? Even if later I don't agree, it always makes me feel better if I understand why someone feels that way. Unless of course they have proven to be an idiot, then I let it slide.

[EvilMonkey]

Some people tend to react based on their 'affiliations' first, and their brains second. That goes for race, politics and religion. A prominent black man is accused of something terrible, and some people who are more heavily invested in their 'blackness' react with a defense first because in their mind, an attack on one is an attack on all. That can lead to the unfathomable comments you are talking about.

[FlaSoxxJim]

NSS, that makes a lot of sense, I know many times it is only later, when I'm driving or such that I think, what the hell was Kap thinking?

 

I'm thinking about getting that printed up on T-shirts.

 

[BigSqwert]

I'm thinking about getting that printed up on T-shirts.

Would make for a great stocking stuffer.