Quick Question, this is not a long post...
Why is it that people cannot respect another person's opinion???? Why can you not just listen sometimes and not feel the need to speak a response???
I agree that we are allowed to express differing views, but I find that at certain times, if someone expresses certain feelings about a particular matter or issue, others should listen and not just give an immediate response overridden with emotional and irrational thought. I'm sorry but there are certain times when it is and is not appropriate to be confrontational with expressed personal opinions. In my own experience, when some people jump aggressively against any ideas I may say I sympathize with, it is actually a turn-off and I immediately lose any sense of respect for that person's capability of rational thinking.
In the last month that particular dilemma has occurred to me a few times in conversation, and twice on my facebook account. My point being, there is a particular time and place when it is appropriate to enter debate over an issue, and both my experiences fulfilled the 'inappropriate' category. For example, a profile page like facebook is geared to sharing information about oneself and maintaining casual communication with friends. For me on the rare occasion, I will post an article or two that may have caught my eye. I might or might not agree with the afore said article in its entirety, or, it may be one certain point that rung a bell. I will post it if there is something of interest about it which I personally feel a connection with. Therefore, if someone responds to such personally-reflective posts with confrontational rants, I myself would perceive such a response as a minor form of personal attack. If it was a blog website, designed to present political issues and other such related material that would be one thing, but a personal profile is to be appreciated by others for the personality that individual is presenting themselves to be. Furthermore, depending upon how well constructed the response argument is, I may or may not take any offense by the wording, but 90% of the time, my opinion of that individual and their capacity of social etiquette is significantly altered. In other words, choose your timing carefully.
Call me strict or old fashioned about my public manners, but it is my personal reaction to occasions like this which support the meaning "there is a time and place for everything'. In a recent book I read called, The Descent of Manners: Etiquette and Society in the Victorian Era, a passage discussed how it would be considered socially uncouth to discuss heated issues such as religion and politics in public as they repeatedly lead to intense debates. Instead, it is more appropriate to pursue such debates during a time specially set aside for like arguments. To separate such issues from common-day conversation definitely allows for more pleasant conversations on a regular basis, and enables people to develop friendships without the complexities of debate interfering with relationships.
To end this query... I apologize if my reaction here, in reference to recent occurances may have upset anyone. And yes, I am thinking clearly for 2 in the morning. This is a common hour for me to be writing, but usually I would be writing a paper for tutorial the next day.
Cheers All! Tomorrow morning I jet my way to Italy!
Lindsay