Posted on 07/25/2025 5:42:53 AM PDT by MtnClimber
It is important to debate ideas. Debating those who disagree with you clarifies your own thoughts and shores up weaknesses in your reasoning. Civil argument is wonderful exercise for the mind. Healthy minds make good citizens. Good citizens maintain strong societies.
It is, therefore, not an exaggeration to conclude that one of the first signs of a crumbling society is the inability of its people to argue peacefully among themselves.
I think most people born before 1990 would agree that public debate has disintegrated over the last three decades. We are no longer able to argue passionately — perhaps even shouting at each other — and end our disagreements by shaking hands, smiling, and moving on. Everything today is a vicious grudge match that participants treat as existential in nature — either I win this debate or my worth as a person is zero!
Ideological zealotry has replaced thinking. Thinking requires a person to accept the limitations of his knowledge and the possibility that he might be wrong. Ideological zealotry short-circuits the mind’s capacity for reason and prevents those so afflicted from enjoying true creativity.
In my experience, this affliction primarily torments those who would identify as being part of the political left. No doubt they would call me a partisan and explain all the ways my Christian beliefs trap me in a mental prison. They would be wrong. People who are confident in their beliefs should welcome outside challenges.
At some point as we move from adolescence to adulthood, those with enough curiosity to chase answers in this life have an epiphany: Truth abides regardless of how vigorously it is tested. It is only when we are willing to leave the relative safety of what we already know
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
There's a lot of wisdom in your comments.
Generally unhappy people
Blame external forces yet depend on them too
Hate daddy often
Must always announce their self righteousness
Not curiosity only seeking affirming news from usual places or people
I’ve got a few pals and one cousin like this
I never engage
“We’re old and gonna die soon enough so quit worrying cause those we leave behind can settle this , let’s talk about how we loved summer at the lake 1960s or Christmas at grandmas same period”
Or talk latest classic rock god who died
Generally unhappy people
Is like Gorky says in ‘Lower Depths’, quote......’Miserable being must find more miserable being, then he’s happy’...unquote.
A factor in the leftist mindset is that they often don’t try to understand other points of view. That’s why discussion is difficult for them. They are easily influenced by people that they admire, and not skeptical of these authority figures. They are not swayed by data or facts, but go solely on feeling.
and as per Dalrymple, that is what he means when he states that people "lose their probity".
When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity.
Communism is the religion of malcontents.
Agreed. Being a know-it-all is part of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Two great quotes from Eric Hoffer:
“””People living a lie cannot tolerate truth tellers. Nor can they take a joke.”””
“””In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”””
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.