Comments on: The Value of Relationships and Experiential Truth http://www.jdroth.com/words/the-value-of-relationships-and-experiential-truth/ Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:30:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: jdroth http://www.jdroth.com/words/the-value-of-relationships-and-experiential-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-901 jdroth Tue, 13 Jul 2010 23:02:48 +0000 http://www.jdroth.com/words/?p=549#comment-901 Interesting, Claire. That's actually one of the reasons I don't go out of my way to stay informed about current events. Some folks (like my wife, Kris) see this sort of intentional ignorance as dangerous. I don't. I get plenty of news through osmosis. It's difficult to escape the news here in the U.S. But by avoiding constant exposure to it, I'm a much happier, saner person. Plus, I can use the brain power I save by now paying attention to the news to do other stuff -- like write. Interesting, Claire. That’s actually one of the reasons I don’t go out of my way to stay informed about current events. Some folks (like my wife, Kris) see this sort of intentional ignorance as dangerous. I don’t. I get plenty of news through osmosis. It’s difficult to escape the news here in the U.S. But by avoiding constant exposure to it, I’m a much happier, saner person. Plus, I can use the brain power I save by now paying attention to the news to do other stuff — like write.

]]> By: Claire http://www.jdroth.com/words/the-value-of-relationships-and-experiential-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-900 Claire Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:44:22 +0000 http://www.jdroth.com/words/?p=549#comment-900 I agree with you, but I have a slightly different spin on it. Most of the time when I find myself in a group conversation and one person (not a close friend) is spouting off this, that or the other that they wholly believe is true but I disagree with, I just don't even bother saying anything. It just takes too much energy and time that I don't feel like wasting. In the few instances that I have taken the time to make an argument for what I think, the other person usually just makes excuses or reasons off the cuff (and totally not having anything to back up what they're saying) to make their opinion sound so much more accurate and true. It's a never-ending circle: I feel that my opinion is right & I have logical arguments for it, but the other person is so entrenched in the fact that they are right, they don't even listen to anyone else's opinion. So, I keep quiet, not because I value a relationship, but because I just don't have the energy to spare sometimes. I agree with you, but I have a slightly different spin on it. Most of the time when I find myself in a group conversation and one person (not a close friend) is spouting off this, that or the other that they wholly believe is true but I disagree with, I just don’t even bother saying anything. It just takes too much energy and time that I don’t feel like wasting. In the few instances that I have taken the time to make an argument for what I think, the other person usually just makes excuses or reasons off the cuff (and totally not having anything to back up what they’re saying) to make their opinion sound so much more accurate and true. It’s a never-ending circle: I feel that my opinion is right & I have logical arguments for it, but the other person is so entrenched in the fact that they are right, they don’t even listen to anyone else’s opinion. So, I keep quiet, not because I value a relationship, but because I just don’t have the energy to spare sometimes.

]]> By: nyx http://www.jdroth.com/words/the-value-of-relationships-and-experiential-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-898 nyx Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:55:19 +0000 http://www.jdroth.com/words/?p=549#comment-898 hey I'm reading your personal blog now, hehe. Haha you and Kris sound like my bf and I. Okay he goes on reddit and debates with them about politics, I really don't care about politics that much. I like that you are the type of person who says do what works for you, do you know how rare this is? I think our society has mostly lost most understanding of what it means to be a critical thinker; it doesn't mean agreeing with everything. Part of being a critical thinker is to understand peoples positions and that they're different, and maybe sometimes you can learn from them! *shocker* It also means that I don't need to get angry that someone has a different opinion or look down on them for thinking a certain way. For example, I grew up around Christians most of my life, but now I'm an atheist/agnostic. I don't really care what Christians do, what they believe, etc. I only care how I live my life, and it makes me happy to no longer be religious. I'm so happy to not go to church anymore. Some atheists and agnostics get really angry when I don't hate Christians, some accused me of not being a true "freethinker" lol. Its kind of funny, but when you think about it, people can be really fanatical about anything...religion, atheism, politics, my bf is in programming and people get religious about programming languages in his field. Some people get really obsessed and upset that others don't think as they do, but I think all that does is just waste time, and put more divisions between humans, great post. =) hey I’m reading your personal blog now, hehe. Haha you and Kris sound like my bf and I. Okay he goes on reddit and debates with them about politics, I really don’t care about politics that much. I like that you are the type of person who says do what works for you, do you know how rare this is?

I think our society has mostly lost most understanding of what it means to be a critical thinker; it doesn’t mean agreeing with everything. Part of being a critical thinker is to understand peoples positions and that they’re different, and maybe sometimes you can learn from them! *shocker*

It also means that I don’t need to get angry that someone has a different opinion or look down on them for thinking a certain way. For example, I grew up around Christians most of my life, but now I’m an atheist/agnostic. I don’t really care what Christians do, what they believe, etc.

I only care how I live my life, and it makes me happy to no longer be religious. I’m so happy to not go to church anymore. Some atheists and agnostics get really angry when I don’t hate Christians, some accused me of not being a true “freethinker” lol.

Its kind of funny, but when you think about it, people can be really fanatical about anything…religion, atheism, politics, my bf is in programming and people get religious about programming languages in his field.

Some people get really obsessed and upset that others don’t think as they do, but I think all that does is just waste time, and put more divisions between humans, great post. =)

]]> By: Suzanne http://www.jdroth.com/words/the-value-of-relationships-and-experiential-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-881 Suzanne Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:58:10 +0000 http://www.jdroth.com/words/?p=549#comment-881 This is a perspective I've come to accept and hold close. I used to be "brutally honest" meaning that I would say what I wanted to say but not accept any responsibility for how it was taken; as in, I didn't mean any harm and I can't be responsible for how the person took my words to mean. Now my motto is "Would I rather be nice or be right?" I've always been one to not judge other people's actions and motivations, as best as I can. Now I have better skills to help me feel less judged by others when it comes to communicating. This is a perspective I’ve come to accept and hold close. I used to be “brutally honest” meaning that I would say what I wanted to say but not accept any responsibility for how it was taken; as in, I didn’t mean any harm and I can’t be responsible for how the person took my words to mean.

Now my motto is “Would I rather be nice or be right?”

I’ve always been one to not judge other people’s actions and motivations, as best as I can. Now I have better skills to help me feel less judged by others when it comes to communicating.

]]> By: Dave http://www.jdroth.com/words/the-value-of-relationships-and-experiential-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-878 Dave Sun, 11 Jul 2010 13:50:22 +0000 http://www.jdroth.com/words/?p=549#comment-878 This story is similar to what you are talking about. http://www.pbs.org/thebuddha/blog/2010/mar/11/chicken-and-duck-ajahn-brahm/ This story is similar to what you are talking about.

http://www.pbs.org/thebuddha/blog/2010/mar/11/chicken-and-duck-ajahn-brahm/

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