Hi Del!
I've been thinking a lot about the posts yesterday and why they bothered me. We have all certainly disagreed about things on Feelings before, we have shared ideas, opinions, jokes, and most of us have been willing to admit to our humanity-our dark moments, our weaknesses as well as the occasional ecstasies. Yet, every once in a while, someone joins us who believes that he has cornered the market on the "truth". And rather than specifically and openmindedly stating his idea, and listening to a response, he asserts his superiority, denigrates all other opinions and then angrily leaves. In all fairness to Ignatio, we had a pleasant exchange (I thought) on the Galt thread about the existence of the soul as a separate entity. So yesterday, I was surprised to find myself attacked in a pretty hurtful way by him. Perhaps I was more vulnerable than usual after two weeks of sick children, feeling bad myself, and the stress of knowing our income was about to disappear into the sunset with the pilots! But to receive an entire post telling you how lost you are and what a failure as a cognitive being is unpleasant, even when you know it's an indication of the other person's personality problems.
This is not just about yesterday, although that was a good example of the phenomenon; there have been several instances of the"savior" personality on this thread. We should always be wary of someone who comes to save us! For when we do not perform according to some arbitrary and subjective concept of perfection as they have defined it, we fall from grace with a thump! We are informed in no uncertain terms what a terrible disappointment we are and how we no longer deserve their time and attention. Oh, Del, we are SUCH losers!!! How can we continue to exist with these primitive, barely functional brains? (Quickly, I add that I am joking lest anyone think I believe this-humor is a commodity that often seems missing with these types)
Is it so difficult to remain impersonal when one is in the heat of debate? Is it so impossible to consider that you may not be sole possessor of knowledge and truth and that others may have insights not available to you? No matter how brilliant you think you are, until you acknowledge that every one of us has something of value and beauty to offer, you are failing. And when you turn to insults and derision, then you are the one who is no longer worthy of time and attention. And of course, healthy personalities that we are, we usually recognize the behavior, call the person on it, and watch them disappear--they never stay around because they aren't getting the respect and adoration they feel they deserve.
Our thread is a fascinating little cosmos where we generally exist in harmony with only an occasional storm. As a whole, we are a tolerant, open-minded and happy group who enjoy each other a lot. The random upset only serves to strengthen my belief that this forum has great value.
I'll quit now--I woke up with laryngitis; this verbose outpouring must be a compensatory reaction!
penni (proud to be a Feelie) |
