SIXTH GRADE IS an especially good memory for me, and i remember our teacher telling us that there are two things that we, the students, should never talk about with other people: religion and politics. Her point, of course, was that its better to not risk having an unnecessary argument.
As soon as she said this, i distinctly remember thinking to myself that avoiding religion and politics would mean excluding two of the most interesting topics of conversation, and, many times that i have encountered the same advice since sixtn grade, i have mixed emotions about it.
I can easily see my sixth grade teacher's point of view, but, simultaneously, i feel the same way i did in sixth grade. Why should these two topics engender argument? The problem is that the two topics are so dear to everyone's heart that everyone has deeply hled beliefs about both.
Deeply held beliefs lead to strong defense of said beliefs whenunder discussion, and lack of willingness not only to change one's beliefs, but lack of willingness to even give due consideration
to contrary ideas.
This tendency severely limits one. "The failure of our education system is the failuter to make citizens and philosophers of us", said H.L. Mencken. Oh, how true. If only we were raised from birth to question our own political and religious beliefs unto death, amending them, fine tuning them at every opportunity.\, as a matter of habit.
If only we accepted change within ourselves, rather than inron clad unchangable political and religious and philosophical rigidity. Life could then be a continuous grand adventure, and our lvies moredynamic and exciting, mentally.
A conversation with a inflexible ideologue, liberal, conservative, lchristian, moslem, athiest, whomever, kills meaning discourse, and, since most of us these days seem to be inflexkble ideologues, 'nuff said, and i rest my case, trusting it has some merit.
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