Xenophon wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:41 pm
I've got nothing to disagree with in that, Schmo, especially in regards to wanting some change internally. Thanks for taking the time to flush out your thoughts more with me.
I certainly can't fault anyone for not wanting to engage the wall (walls here being more of positions held, not the individuals themselves. At least in my opinion). But I think even as a metaphor it highlights my point. Walls aren't actually indestructible or immovable. They can be power washed, chipped away at, eroded, and eventually torn down. Now you're absolutely correct and well within your rights to not want to put in that work, time is precious and there are so many fulfilling things to do instead. I think it is also more than fair to pick and choose the "walls" you work with so to speak.
I discussed it in a other thread by I viewed my father's own vaccine hesitancy in much the same way. It took a lot of time and patience to bring him around but that was obviously work of high personal value to me. I'm definitely in favor of using your time in ways that bring the most value to you.
Xenophon, I read this post while driving. I even fired off a response to one of your earlier posts while driving and had some typos in it. Happens.
I thought a lot about this post and my reactions to you and to the story you referenced. If you recall, the "pushed over the edge" metaphor set me off a bit as extreme. My point, was that pushing someone to their perimeter limits to get a reaction was
not, in my interpretation, a fair or good thing in all cases. And then.... I read your posts here and thought about them for hours. And for that - THANK YOU.
I spent some time thinking about your posts in the context of your vulnerability in pushing your dad to something that you thought was good for him, even if it was uncomfortable for him. I tried to consider the context where you, and your father, were both negotiating, teaching or learning about something while putting your own vulnerability in the mix or equation.
My first round of thoughts on this were - holy crap was I wrong about Xeno and wrong about his post. Holy crap. I just viewed him as the trigger for a reaction. I was wrong, and I am sorry. I think that what you are describing in your posts in this thread bring that conversation full circle or make it more whole. Applying the vulnerability that happens with a personal connection is the difference. And I agree with you. These connections obviously do not happen typically in a Twitter silo or a forum of people with masks and fake names.
I know most people on this board will not believe me. But, I actually do give some credit to the cabal members here for holding a party line and an offense for their position as members in a dialogue and game and silo. I believe what you are saying Xeno, that we all can be believable and we can all influence others in real life personal situations. Perhaps this is why unaligned avatars and fake-named characters are just trolls and nuisances in the forum game, we are just squids on this board. Where it is personal and real, it is different and the results are different.