piensas segundas en hablando sobre genero en nueva york

i had an interesting conversation today about the advantages of good argument, and it made me reconsider my previous thoughts.

first, i definitely tended to side with ee in the argument. though i was keeping quiet at first, then trying to frame the argument as an important point of exploration in understanding where others "come from," i still definitely thought of one person as "right" and others as "wrong"--though distinguishing between "unfortunately uninformed" and "closed-minded asshole." However, i think its important to understand that its not productive to judge peoples' true reactions. Granted, we all do judge neo-nazi reactions, gay-bashing reactions, etc. But first, I think many would argue those are not necessarily reactions but decisions. And that assumption aside, wouldn't it be more productive to understand the bases of those reactions, rather than immediately jump on them? Not to say there was immediate jumping in the conversation friday night, but when we get so utterly wrapped up in our research or cause we lose sight of they way it is situated in quotidian life of others, we lose sight of the ultimate goal.

Second (and on a less-philosophical, more practical note), the conversation today made me think about the way I argue. And here I will offer self-critique with this blog as a prime example. As in the previously linked past blog, and probably others, but i'm too lazy to look through old posts right now, I often make rhetorical points in rather sarcastic ways. And it is my hunch that this (rather than pointing out the social construction of race) was the fiend's tactic in the argument friday night. And really, that's not a very productive way to argue. Its that sort of thing that lends itself to the eruption of shouting matches, rather than dialogue that ends in mutual understanding, or even a more nuanced way of looking at a situation.

So, i hereby officially take back my comment about rolled tongues and attached earlobes. I'm not editing the previous post, because, well, i kinda think that picture is funny, and it wouldn't make sense if I deleted that part of the post. But I want to formally apologize to all 4 of you that read this for my unproductive argumentative skills. I'm going to try hard to argue in more productive ways. Hm...maybe that will be a new year's resolution. Or as jk used to suggest, a thanksgiving resolution.