Friday, March 21, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Everyone Is Entitled To My Opinion...
" I assumed that everything must yield to me, that the entire universe had to flatter my whims, and that I had the right to satisfy at will." ~Aline et Valcour
I can look back and reminisce on countless examples in which this was my mentality. How often have I always been right? I was so certain that I had all the answers on any particular subject you could offer up to me. I have seen in my own arrogance what it is like to always be right. It's a staggering feat of my own hubris. Anyone who would disagree with me was obviously an idiot and uninformed on the subject. Yet that would not make me above ponitificating to the uneducated. Nomatter how ill informed or how risible the case against my mosiac of opinions might have been. It must have been painfully obvious even to the most daft of observers how much my ego drove my words.
The author of the quote above was referring to his youth. I can look back to my adolescance and see that this was rampant characteristic. However I cannot say that I have risen above this human condition quite as of yet. However I would still regard myself as in my youth. Attempting to enjoy the benefits and mitigate the downfalls of the mantle of youth as it were. However I attempt to reform this whimsical disposition so often associated with youth, I harbor a fear. What if this carries on beyond my youth?
I can find a recent example that embodies this fear. He is older and with reasonable success. He is well liked among the group of us that are deemed his peers. Yet from day one I noticed that nomatter what story anyone told, he had one better. Nomatter what conversations are going on, he has never met an arguement he didn't like.His opinions are always right, even if it's evident he's not that well read up on the subject. When he talks to his peers, he is posturing and even his demeanor is one of a pontiff. I see some of the others don't even bother to engage in any sort of a meaningful discussion with him. Sadly, that is what we are all there for. Yet as well liked as he is, he's not given any kind of a role from the group to embark in.
For every example in my life that I can fall back on with a negative connotation, I can say there are good examples as well. People who have the grace to gently and eloquently make their points clear as day, when they are compelled to make them. People are never always right, always pugnaciously running about convincing the rest of us...or themselves. That is the example I want to emulate. I want an honest discussion to find my ego left checked in at the door. I don't ever want to know everything. I've seen what happens to people who know everything and it leaves a great deal to be desired. My only worry is that I might become complacent and allow myself into this comfortable delusion that my opinions are correct by virtue of my having them.
I can look back and reminisce on countless examples in which this was my mentality. How often have I always been right? I was so certain that I had all the answers on any particular subject you could offer up to me. I have seen in my own arrogance what it is like to always be right. It's a staggering feat of my own hubris. Anyone who would disagree with me was obviously an idiot and uninformed on the subject. Yet that would not make me above ponitificating to the uneducated. Nomatter how ill informed or how risible the case against my mosiac of opinions might have been. It must have been painfully obvious even to the most daft of observers how much my ego drove my words.
The author of the quote above was referring to his youth. I can look back to my adolescance and see that this was rampant characteristic. However I cannot say that I have risen above this human condition quite as of yet. However I would still regard myself as in my youth. Attempting to enjoy the benefits and mitigate the downfalls of the mantle of youth as it were. However I attempt to reform this whimsical disposition so often associated with youth, I harbor a fear. What if this carries on beyond my youth?
I can find a recent example that embodies this fear. He is older and with reasonable success. He is well liked among the group of us that are deemed his peers. Yet from day one I noticed that nomatter what story anyone told, he had one better. Nomatter what conversations are going on, he has never met an arguement he didn't like.His opinions are always right, even if it's evident he's not that well read up on the subject. When he talks to his peers, he is posturing and even his demeanor is one of a pontiff. I see some of the others don't even bother to engage in any sort of a meaningful discussion with him. Sadly, that is what we are all there for. Yet as well liked as he is, he's not given any kind of a role from the group to embark in.
For every example in my life that I can fall back on with a negative connotation, I can say there are good examples as well. People who have the grace to gently and eloquently make their points clear as day, when they are compelled to make them. People are never always right, always pugnaciously running about convincing the rest of us...or themselves. That is the example I want to emulate. I want an honest discussion to find my ego left checked in at the door. I don't ever want to know everything. I've seen what happens to people who know everything and it leaves a great deal to be desired. My only worry is that I might become complacent and allow myself into this comfortable delusion that my opinions are correct by virtue of my having them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)