The titans enter the arena, muscles twitching, nostrils\nflaring,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chomping at the bit for a killing, just kidding, this ain\u2019t\nno gladiatorial meeting, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One could be forgiven for the comparison, debates and discussions\nin a public space are quick to become warzones,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Daring to poke holes in one\u2019s safe zone will elicit enough\nvitriol to melt the ozone,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ever see folks from different strokes in a public setting,\nbe it face to face or online, talking \u2018bout any subject with extra spice, watch\nhow quickly civility melts into catastrophe,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s shocking, really, how quickly Jekyll replaces Hyde at\nthe flick of a switch, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Judging any and all outsiders, never budging an inch, before\nfalling to pieces when they\u2019re offered a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Picture this, two or more folks engaged in conversation,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inevitably touch up on subjects contentious, explosions are\nimminent,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first remaining dormant, participants dropping their\nrespective pearls,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can and should stay at this pace but often things will take\na turn,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The heat turned up slightly, rebuttals galore, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clap backs of the provocative type then brought to the fore,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then it\u2019s all-out war, healthy discussion replaced with\nshrieking and shouting,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Metaphorically exchanging haymakers like Ali and Frazier,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pre-schoolers display more restraint and civility, adults\ncan and should know better,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personal attacks and phantom accusations, go-to strategies\nfor petulant children,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Big guns brought out to score points, sob stories to tip the\nodds in their favor, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is this still a healthy debate or another case of victimhood\nflexing? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then they\u2019re calling for the other to be silenced as their\nbuilt-in Ministry of Truth is crumbling, not-so-subtle way of surrendering,\ntalk about pathetic,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the best of times can end in one of two ways; with both\nsides seeing eye-to-eye or agreeing to disagree,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But types like these? Not a chance, more often than not\nending in a rage quit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not too long ago, in an average setting, people from all\nwalks can come together,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chop it up and exchange ideas, keeping it fair and\nprofessional,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can end on good terms whether or not they find a common\nground, nowadays you don\u2019t see much of that around, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Often times becoming personally invested, enough to call for\nthe opposition to be silenced,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are they that big a threat to your very existence? Each\nindividual\u2019s entitled to their own opinion, who are you to harangue and control\nthem? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And rebuttals of \u2018fake news\u2019, \u2018bias\u2019 and \u2018prejudice\u2019 in the\nface of their legitimate counter-arguments speak volumes of your ignorance,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interactions with the others should be an exercise in\nexpanding one\u2019s views and horizons, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One needn\u2019t leave the hill on which they\u2019re dying but it\nwould do \u2018em a world of good to learn about and understand another\u2019s visions, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can strengthen one\u2019s own convictions, in the process they\nbecome well-rounded, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Only they with real strength of character can take in\nadditional information without ever feeling offended, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One\u2019s stances influenced by what they see and hear anyway,\nall but overpowering the foundations on which they\u2019d been raised, life\u2019s ups\nand downs in conjunction with what they consuming being the building blocks of\nit,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowledge is power, though, the ones tasked with informing\nthe masses misusing and manipulating, looking to misinform and divide as they\ntoy with emotions,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Real ones check all facts first before jumping to\nconclusions, the gullible fall for it without questioning, while a narrow mind\ntwists it to suit only where they\u2019re invested,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back to the combatants, why spill your personal history and\nso-called ways in which you\u2019re hindered whenever you\u2019re cornered, seek help for\nthose 99 problems, playing victim ain\u2019t no solid argument,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can only lean on alibis and excuses for so long before the\nact wears thin, real strength and bucking the odds is what creates heroes and\nlegends,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was never about winning or losing, merely a means to\nlearn off of one another,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s ironic in a way, on the surface seems a conflict but in\nreality teamwork comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again, must reiterate, it won\u2019t always play out this way,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There remains those that have a handle on their emotions, unlike\nthe overgrown children, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But such is the world we\u2019re in, running on emotions over\nreason,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They say variety\u2019s the spice of life yet many are threatened\nby differing flavours,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What works for you might not for another, can\u2019t make that\nproverbial horse drink the damn water,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ain\u2019t no real debate if your sole purpose is to force yours\nupon them, if your arguments are rooted in dogma long since hardened, time to overhaul\nyour default setting,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Newsflash, Fool, trying to cajole, strong-arm, intimidate\nand shame \u2018em into whatever cause for which you\u2019re crusading will only turn \u2018em\noff of what you\u2019re endorsing, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nothing good comes out of coercion, you\u2019re no better than a\nmegalomaniac dictator lording over their citizens,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a discussion and not a scuffle, no need to get\naggressive and personal,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then you call for the other to be censored? Take a trip back\nin time, how do such actions benefit a given population?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drop your two cents and let them do the same, that\u2019s the\nname of the game,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No one really loses when you both walk away enlightened, it\nwas never really a competition,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep that in mind next time you join the fray, there\u2019s a\nright and wrong way, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
More to the point, leave \u2018em alone if you don\u2019t fuck with\nthem, no need to light fires where they\u2019re not needed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The titans enter the arena, muscles twitching, nostrils flaring, Chomping at the bit for a killing, just kidding, this ain\u2019t no gladiatorial meeting, One could be forgiven for the comparison, debates and discussions in a public space are quick to become warzones, Daring to poke holes in one\u2019s safe zone will elicit enough vitriol to … <\/p>\n