Arguments — There Is A Lot To Be Said On Both Sides. Listen, Respect, and Becoming an Informed Observer.
Beneath an argument is a complex issue. This is my reflection.
I took the longest time to write this story because I wanted to understand the nature of the issue at hand and formulate my own opinions as an informed observer. I am referencing this story that Dr Mehmet Yildiz has written.
The depth of the argument here can be skin-deep when presented to a critical thinker. Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below because it shines a beam of light on my blind spots.
The purpose of this story is to explore the nature of an argument that has occurred.
Arguments are Necessary for Clarity of Thought.
Arguments are uncomfortable. That is true for those involved in the verbal sparring and for people taking a front-row seat of the event.
But we cannot avoid them. The nature of an argument is not about the actual conflict per se. It is to bring to our attention that we could be missing something valuable from our perspective.
Whenever someone is poking holes in our argument — Take a pause. Listen. They might be trying to tell us that the compass in our hands is leading us in the wrong direction. If we continue to use that to locate our bearings, we will arrive at a destination we do not want.
Now, we do not want that.
What we want is to present our points of view with clarity. And that means taking into account the other side of the story.
And before I get too carried away as I often do, this is the definition of argument from dictionary.cambridge.org: -
a disagreement, or the process of disagreeing
An argument is a manifestation of disagreement.
An argument does not go away just because we attempt to brush it away. Our refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of gun control does not necessitate zero merits for that argument. At the same time, it does not mean that supporters of gun control are buffoons.
Long-lasting arguments or conflicts that don’t go away actually reflect the complexity of the topic at hand. There are a lot of intelligent things to be said from both ends of the spectrum.
Acknowledging a List of Contentious Issues.
Take, for instance, the following: -
- Gun control.
- Birth control.
- Universal Basic Income.
- Social safety net.
- Taxes.
- Writing when you are not gifted with a flair of the language.
- Others.
This is an incomplete list, but my point is straightforward. Contentious issues generate arguments because how we think is intertwined with our belief system and emotions.
For example, Universal Basic Income might feel uncomfortable to a high-income earner because they work hard for their keep. However, that does not mean that the lower-income group, squeezed by reality, should be left to perish in the streets.
And then, there is the issue of writing.
Should we write when we are not gifted with grammatical prowess or that language?
This is contentious to me. For purposes of full transparency, I fall into this category, and Maria Rattray can attest to that.
Does that mean an idea carries no merit if it is written in a grammatically erroneous sentence? One thing is for sure. It will take a lot more to understand what the writer is saying. However, it does not mean the writer is not worth listening to.
A toddler who has recently learned to speak cannot converse with us in perfect English or in their mother tongue for their needs. It is a combination of broken language and visual cues like rubbing their tummy that tells us Joe Little is hungry.
Should Joe Little be left alone starving because he could not articulate with linguistic precision?
I know what the obvious answer is. However, there will be people capable of presenting an opposing standpoint with convincing eloquence, such as Liam Ireland and Esther George. We can listen and discern for ourselves.
Pitting our brains against each other is valuable because we extend the horizons of our perspectives. Clarity of thought is forged in the fire of debate.
An Opinion Piece — Presenting My Take.
I wish to focus this segment on a couple of points.
The Issue of Publication — It is a Choice.
We have a choice.
Writers have a choice. They do not need to publish with ILLUMINATION. There are many other publications within this platform that would gladly house our masterpiece. It is up to us to decide where we want to publish.
Is Dr Mehmet Yildiz a Hero or a Zero?
The honest answer is I do not know. However, this is what I do know: -
- He comments on my stories.
- He gives me pointers for improvement.
- He invites me to submit my stories to the publications that he manages.
- He interacts with my tweets.
These are what I know.
I also observed that Dr Mehmet Yildiz has a big following relative to mine. There must be something good about his work that attracts people to follow.
Are these puffed-up credentials?
They could be. Follower count is a weird metric that tracks our social interaction credentials.
That said, however, there is an army of editors working with Dr Mehmet Yildiz too.
Would they work with Dr Mehmet Yildiz at arm’s length if there is nothing he can offer? Your take is as good as mine.
This segment is not about singing praises of Dr Mehmet Yildiz, a person who I have never met. I do not know if he is a zero or a hero. Chances are, many people do not either.
I will leave it like that.
A Summary.
An argument serves to broaden our perspectives. I want to reiterate my position that contentious topics have a lot to be debated on both sides.
What we want to do is to listen and examine weaknesses in our arguments.
By listening to and considering the points put forth by our opponents, we can transcend from I am right and you are wrong, to How do I know I am right?
I think that is the merit of arguments.
It should lead us to a higher clarity of thought.
Aldric
About the Author:
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure.
Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.