Critical Thinking and Understanding Other Individuals

[Swamps]

Have you ever heard someone give an opinion that you thought was completely ignorant? Right, its a very rhetorical question, because we all have done that at some point. However, have you ever taken a moment to consider why that person thinks a certain way? Seriously, have you ever considered that this person may have a legit reason or circumstances that molded them this way?

Maybe that person was raised in a family that had beliefs that we felt maybe a little over the top or extreme. Maybe this person has been the subject of a life altering event that causes he or she to create safety barriers that protect them from something.

Then again, there is always those people who are going to argue with you regardless of his or her true opinions. Those people are usually ignored by me and never given a second thought, unless they are family or won't back off.

I'll give an example of the last situation mentioned. Recently at work (my civilian job), I started working with a younger, sheltered man who revealed he was big into Christianity. This is a subject I'm very uncomfortable discussing, but I listened to him ramble on until he started asking me questions about my relationship with his faith. He asked questions one behind the next. These included: "Where do you go to church" (no response from me), "Do you go to church" (again, no response from me), "Do I believe in God". Finally, I explained to him that this was only a working relationship, and nothing more, and that I will not discuss Religion, Politics, Family, or any other personal business with anyone that is not my wife or son. He walked away in a huff and requested to be removed from working a shift with a "non believer".

This is not even the tip of the Ice Burg for why I feel the way I do about Religion, but this discussion isn't about my beliefs. It is about us as a society opening up to ideas of why people think the way they do.

Everyone who knows me, knows I have been an intolerant buffoon to others (My apologizes to Trent) in the past, but reading more into the way our minds work and personal experiences have forced me to think differently. With that being said, let's open up to one another.

 

[Swinny]

Do you think a person should be allowed to have a pass for their ridiculous opinion just because they grew up believing it or being sheltered or what have you though? Regardless of how your mind works or how you were brainwashed as a kid with all the information at our disposal these days there's really no reason to be completely ignorant.

 

[Swamps]

Absolutely not in the least. This isn't whether or not we feel as if they should be given a pass, because if everyone had a pass due to beliefs we would devolve as a society. I feel if we gave everyone passes, more individuals would use this as an excuse to become completely irrational. However, there are situations that I may overlook someone insulting my lifestyle because of his or her beliefs. If it doesn't warrant an altercation I ignore unnecessary contact with said individuals. If you are asking me should they receive a pass for something criminal, then absolutely not.

Sheltered and ignorant individuals can break their bad habits though. I can say this because I at one time was that way. I am in no way proud of that either. If someone as bull headed as I am can change certain irrational beliefs than I feel others can if they want to change them. That being said, they must have the want to change though.

 

[Postman Dave]

Borat is a great study on this.

He offended so many people in that movie, from hating Jews to objectifying women, but he was such a nice guy at the same time. Is he a bad person? Or is he a good person, whose flaws are a result of the environment that created him?

 

[Swamps]

I've never seen the movie, but I've research cultures like that for critical thinking briefs. In some places that way of thinking is the norm, so it isn't viewed as wrong to those individuals. Now you take a person from that culture and put them in a more sensitive culture and there could be issues. We must always take into consideration, the customs and practices in places we visit.

 

[Wang Chung]

Alright I am going to bite and play devils advocate. What bothered you the most swampy? Was it the fact he didn't want to work near you or the fact that he was asking you questions that you didn't feel like answering at work? For all you know this dude could be a decent dude but because you chose not to answer a simple question because you drew a line saying I will not discuss this at work he stormed off. I would go up to him later and say hey meet me at this place so we can discuss what you wanted to. Thus you giving him the satisfaction of answering his questions and secondly you can see if he will show and what his reaction will be.


Now onto what you stated earlier I wish the same could be said in our own Country. We have all these people coming here from other countries tries trying to change our culture to theirs and we bend our backs over backwards for them, hell sone of them refuse to learn English. We have school districts asking patents if they want their kids taught in Spanish from the get go. Why is this an option? Why don't we just hold firm to our language and traditions? Yes I know we are all immigrants but to change what we know to theirs that they are fleeing makes no sense to me.




(God I just went all Game Rage)

using facial recognition on my galaxy s4

 

[Fuji Vice]

Do you think a person should be allowed to have a pass for their ridiculous opinion just because they grew up believing it or being sheltered or what have you though? Regardless of how your mind works or how you were brainwashed as a kid with all the information at our disposal these days there's really no reason to be completely ignorant.

More importantly, is it really that big of a deal to care whether someone believes in something or not? No offense, but calling someone else's views ridiculous makes you come across more ridiculous (and ignorant) than they do. I don't believe in anything, but I also don't chastise people who do nor do I find it amusing to insult them. Such a colossal waste of time in the grand scheme of things if you ask me.

 

[Sabretooth]

Well it depends on how big the opinion is. For example, my dad hates the song bohemian rhapsody which pisses me off in so many ways. He's the only person I know who doesn't like the song so I could consider his opinion "ignorant". It's an opinion nonetheless.


As far as religion goes, I personally don't believe in any of it and I don't understand why people indulge themselves in it so much but that's just their way of life and to get mad at them over calling you a "non-believer" it's really not worth it because they firmly believe that jesus is their holy savior or something like that and they probably find it strange that you don't believe just like you find it strange that they do believe.

 

[Krisis]

Ignorance can be fixed... Stupidity lasts forever.

You can't blame someone for being ignorant, but there is no excuse for choosing to stay that way.

Sent from my Event using Tapatalk

 

[Swamps]

Alright I am going to bite and play devils advocate. What bothered you the most swampy? Was it the fact he didn't want to work near you or the fact that he was asking you questions that you didn't feel like answering at work? For all you know this dude could be a decent dude but because you chose not to answer a simple question because you drew a line saying I will not discuss this at work he stormed off. I would go up to him later and say hey meet me at this place so we can discuss what you wanted to. Thus you giving him the satisfaction of answering his questions and secondly you can see if he will show and what his reaction will be.


Now onto what you stated earlier I wish the same could be said in our own Country. We have all these people coming here from other countries tries trying to change our culture to theirs and we bend our backs over backwards for them, hell sone of them refuse to learn English. We have school districts asking patents if they want their kids taught in Spanish from the get go. Why is this an option? Why don't we just hold firm to our language and traditions? Yes I know we are all immigrants but to change what we know to theirs that they are fleeing makes no sense to me.

Sorry for the late response bro. I guess what bothers me is the intrusion upon my beliefs after people know I'm not comfortable disclosing that information. However, the reason I am that way is because it was forced upon me as a child. That is a whole different story all in itself though. Anyway, I'll probably not even give it a second thought outside of the forum for discussion.

I agree with what you say about our country changing for other cultures. I don't care if that makes me seem like a bigot but you don't see other countries changing their system for immigrants. However, this is the way we are becoming these days. Yesterday's flower children and their spawns are becoming our politicians these days, so I don't look for anything to change in the near future. Plus, have you seen the entittled kids wearing Guy Fawke masks protesting these days? Most don't even know why they do what the do either.