I am new to blogging. I am also late to blogging. So, to catch up, I have been wandering, exploring the “blogoshpere” looking and reading and being pleasantly amazed. The great thing about this is that here it is a place ( is it really a place?) where people who want to share or exchange ideas, recipes or just discover new shades of humanity can do just that. Blogging has given more of us a wonderfully democratic platform of opportunity, a voice that is not dependent upon the permissions of others to raise and raise it some do. Everything from pith to pornography, but there is smoke coming out of the dragon’s cave.
And so, I am also despairingly amazed. I discovered a place where hate and vituperation are proliferating. Right Wing nuts, Left Wing nuts, Middle Wing nuts. In this world it is hard to express an opinion without drawing the fire of someone who disagrees with it. That’s OK, but very often that disagreement is expressed bluntly by a hateful attack upon the writer. The best rules for discussion, Civility and Respect, no longer apply. Rants of screaming derision, slander, pomposity and arrogance, hateful attitudes that are all way too common in today’s world are also common here. Apparently the weapon of choice for these intellects is the blunt instrument of hot, turgid rhetoric.
When did we lose the ability to have a civil conversation of disagreement? Today there is little requirement for politeness, no respect for the opinions of others who are strangers. Civility, which used to be the presumption is on a losing streak. If we are to regain our civility, we must as a species and as a society put this compulsion, (it is a compulsion, hate is not the result of reason) aside and learn to tolerate our differences. Toleration is not the same as liking something or agreeing with everybody. It is simply toleration. It is living with an idea that you might not choose to think or an action that you might not take yourself. Toleration does not mean anarchy or lawlessness but rather it is the hallmark of a civil society. Civil society demands politeness, kindness and respect in all things. Face to face it is so much easier to be friendly, but behind the anonymity of the internet it is so much easier to not be. When looking someone in the eye it is much harder to differentiate, to hate, to accuse, to belittle, to defame him. It is so easy when one can hide in the ether, that is why there is so much of it here.
I like people. I like strangers. My wife, Marti, will tell you I stop and talk to anyone on the street if given half a chance. To me, everyone is fair game for a pleasant or humorous remark. Taking the high road always means a climb uphill, but the view is superior. So while you are out shopping this Christmas season listening to the carols or enjoying the company of officemates, or friends and family, even a stranger for that matter look into their eyes and pay attention to what you see. Smile at them, touch them, enjoy them. Share your humanity and say thank you or even, “I love you.”
It may not yet be too late and it is contagious. That’s a good thing.
Merry Christmas!
December 22, 2007
Blogging, Civility and Merry Christmas
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How profound ! How true.
Merry Christmas, y’all, and God Bless.
Comment by jo — December 22, 2007 @ 11:02 am |
Merry Christmas Ed and all the Kirkpatricks! I enjoyed reading this piece. You are right except for I found that it was becoming more and more prevalent in Sterling area (before I moved in 2006) that the disrespect was done face to face. Maybe too many people in a small area?! Anyway, I have found that here in Indiana it still is a more friendly place (even though I haven’t found a job). Having to apply for jobs on-line is the hardest. People with the job postings don’t want to see you in person unless they call for an interview. This is the most frustrating as I do a much better job of selling myself in person than in a cover letter or on a resume.
BTW I’m including a link to my son, Eric’s, group blog. I think you’ll find it interesting. They are all college grads and most are either working on a PhD or have one.
http://12angrymen.wordpress.com/
Happy New Year as well!
Linda Davis
Comment by Linda Davis — December 22, 2007 @ 12:04 pm |
Merry Christmas Ed, Martha and Kevin,
We miss seeing you at this Holiday and we miss Scott. We do love and enjoy reading your blogs.
Hope you never put down your pen. You write wonderfully. The Christmas letter was great.
Your Sister.
Clare
Comment by Clare Kirkpatrick — December 22, 2007 @ 3:39 pm |
And a Merry Christmas to you,too!
I was touched by your latest entry…meeting Princess’ Aunt. But I wanted to respond to this entry.
I,too,have been taking a more ‘listening’ approach to the season. It’s a simple truth that people just
want to be acknowledged–not judged. And I find that just acknowledging someone–my sister, a stranger,
whatever, goes a long way toward passing the peace.
So that’s what I’ve dedicated myself to doing as I host my siblings this Christmas…listening and accepting.
Peace and love to you all! Hope to see you soon! /mj
Comment by mj — December 24, 2007 @ 8:37 am |
It is a shame that the right to free speech is so often tainted by vitriol spewed by the crass, crude members of the shallow end of the gene pool.
In a related story, an organization here in Charlottesville erected a large outdoor chalk board on the downtown mall to give people a venue to exercise their inherent right to free speech, but it too has been misused by miscreants who are convinced that hate speech and profanity are somehow profound. It got to the point that a concerned citizen used his lunch hour to wash the crap off of the board with a toilet brush.
Comment by Andy G — January 3, 2008 @ 9:43 am |
I enjoyed your post on civility and discussion, as this is an issue which has vexed me as well. Scott and I didn’t always see eye to eye, but unlike most people these days, we actually enjoyed talking to each other about it, making points back and forth, and not taking it so personal. People ask me a lot if I like to debate people. My response is usually, “It depends on how you define debate.” If By that I mean an exchange of ideas in a respectful manner in which nobody resorts to name-calling when they feel beaten, then sure. But the present day idea that debate is all nasty sound bites lobbed back and forth, ending in a shouting match doesn’t interest me. Sadly, I think civility has been one casualty of the internet age. It’s all just words on a screen for some people, typed by some anonymous author. It’s far too easy for people to lash out at others when there’s no accountability for what they say, and no tangible person they might worry about hurting. As such, your blog has been a breath of fresh air.
Comment by Brian S — January 8, 2008 @ 12:45 pm |
The world needs more people like you Ed, we would all be a lot less stressed out and friendlier to each other.
We seem to disagree on most social and political matters, but you haven’t attacked me like even some of my close friends have. That’s how it’s supposed to be, this is America. I can respect anyone who is passionate about their ideals, even if I disagree with them whole-heartedly.
Too many people fought and died to give us the freedoms we have, so you’ll never see me shout down anyone who disagrees with me; I will simply state my position and let them fume.
Civil discourse is nearly dead (or so it seems) in this country because it doesn’t sell or generate ratings. It’s all about who’s sleeping with who, who’s trashing who, who relapsed again, who’s adopted another foreign baby, who is going through their 12th divorce, and any other personal/private matter or politically correct garbage the media wants to puke up.
Once again, thank you for writing, (you have a obvious talent for it) and for being so open minded and personable. I can definitely see where Scott got it from
Take care,
Myles
Comment by Myles — May 29, 2008 @ 1:46 pm |