[MD] is-ness

[Ron Kulp]

SA:
     Now that I've thought about it for a moment, I guess what I wrote
lead into a lingering question for us.  Is it negative to disagree,
argue against, and outrightly say somebody's got it confused or mixed up
on a certain point?  Is that negative?  I would say no, but it seems to
turn some people off.  Surely right and wrong are not as good - as good,
for right and wrong are not what I'm inquiring into, it the act of
disagreeing, not the underlying wrong-right issues, but disagreeing
itself.  I'm talking about, for instance Ian comes to mind on this one,
Ian thinks he or we all should, hold out until dialogue finally has us
understand each other and disagreement exists only because we haven't
dialogued long enough, but I find this to be uncreative. 

Ron;
I think If someone has obviously misinterpreted a generally understood
concept or meaning, then an effort to correct it is justified.
I try to keep the mind in a discussion of being open to alternative
interpretation and back my own opinons with as much generally
accepted concepts I can, but some people hold certain misinterpretations
to justify their opinions without any kind of generally accepted
conceptual
support.
I think if both parties of the dialog are interested in coming to a
collaborative conclusion and are leaving the door open to correction
and alternative interpretation with an eye toward increasing and
improving 
the accuracy of their concepts then they are here in the spirit of
intellectualism and the aim of the creators of this forum.
 But if one is here with the intention of peddling useless
and low-quality concepts without interest in increasing their
own intellect then the intellectual agreement is off and they are 
little more than a barker, an ad for sloppy thinking, like a billboard.

How can you debate a billboard?

SA:
But my question is does anybody find it offending, wrong, or even an
arousal of anger to have somebody disagree with you?  Is disagreeing
negative?  I know some people will quickly stop talking with you on this
forum if you disagree with them, which nothing wrong with that, but why
do they disagree with you or is it only about getting your point of view
across - forget about everybody else?  

Ron:
Personally I get angry when the disagreement turns into an insult match
and a display of one-up-man-ship.
I think, again, it's root is in SOM. The belief that there is one
universal way of thinking and understanding and if someone's ideas do
not fit
with your own interpretation then they are absolutely wrong and deserve
to be tagged by insults. Just like school. Put the dunce cap on and sit
in the corner....you see, I think we are conditioned to ridicule those
who we disagree with us on that basis.
So it's hardly surprising to see it emerge here. But if we are truly
interested in increasing understanding this may be overcome.