Disagreement is Good

The other night Linda and I started out the weekend at our daughter and son in laws for happy hour.

For the record, neither of my offspring were female.

Feeling ebullient after winning the Biggest Loser competition with his dad and brother, Nick had the swagger to challenge me to a debate on the President’s latest security infrastructure initiative. .

Despite occasionally interrupting each other, raising our voices, making provocative assertions, and becoming mildly frustrated at each others inability to get it, we ended the conversation respectfully, agreeing that the correct answer depends on your point of view.

There are objective realms where determinate reality exists. Rock brakes scissors, water changes state at 100 degrees centigrade, photosynthesis requires sunshine, and the Vikings will never win a Super Bowl.

There are also subjective worlds, where reality equals perception, aka “a mental image.”

When reality becomes a construct of the gears between or ears, results will vary.

Beyonce or Black Sabbath, vegan vs. paleo, christian or agnostic, Patriotic swamp draining mega successful champion for the common man or sleazy self promoting obnoxious over rated phony?

The mental images we create are influenced by life experience, gender, hormones, personality, race, and a multitude of other factors. Perceptions will be as unique and varied as cumulus clouds, or more precisely, people on the planet.

Though we tend to forget, it is well documented that the resilience of life is enhanced by the nearly infinite number of outcomes which can result from the combinations of our DNA.

Physical diversity among the human population is key to our survival. Intellectual diversity is equally important.

So the next time you become annoyed when you encounter a person with a different point of view, imagine how one dimensional, barren, and flavorless life would be if we all drove the same road to work, dressed the same, performed the same task for the same pay, and spent this homogeneous existence with identical thoughts in our heads.

Speaking for myself, I am darn grateful everyone does not think like me.

Jim