(02-14-2023, 09:35 PM)mikesez Wrote:

(02-14-2023, 09:11 AM)Lucky2Last Wrote: The problem with Mikey is that he spends too much time discussing these ideas with liberal "intellectuals" And Intellectuals have been largely duped by bad philosophies of progressives. It's like they are incapable of seeing how this cancer is affecting their thought process. Mikey doesn't think he's progressive, but, because he is open minded, he's also been affected by the cancer. He's definitely not progressive in the truest sense of the word, but he has been warped by that way of thinking. 10 years ago, he would not believe these things.

Its more than just being open minded.  It's my life experience and family experience.  I've watched people close themselves off to their loved ones due to rigid, extreme political opinions.  I can talk to my father about politics.  I can talk to my father in law about politics.  But the two of them can't talk to each other about it.  Their views are too rigid and too different.  Music they can discuss.  TV and movies, too.  Politics no.  Fortunately the three of us have interests beyond politics.  But my grandfather really doesn't.  All he ever wants to talk about is politics, then sometimes history or economics, so he can loop it back to politics again.  TV, he rarely watches anything other than the news.  Fox News.  I'm committed to not being too rigid and not being too extreme, but still being engaged and in the conversation.  I want to maintain the connections I have.  I don't want to turn into one of them. Maybe it's just me being afraid of getting old.

You can hold and express firm convictions and still maintain connections. People arent monoliths on every subject. And people should be mature enough to accept differences and still be able to get along at some level. If they arent, then they are too immature and/or thin skinned and probably not worth knowing anyway. But the whole 'go along to get along' mantra is just so weak and spineless, IMHO. Same with fence sitters. Make a choice, make a decision, and then support your decision. Ive got more respect for people who are opposite of my views but who can at least logically defend them than for those who just go along because they are afraid to offend.

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