That's all I have to say about the matter, though I do find it strange that people would complain about and try to dictate what I put on my eponymous web site. You can just stop reading if you'd like. You don't need to tell me about it.

Source: Keith Devens in a comment on "My new gun"

There are a handful or two of bloggers to whose feeds I'm subscribed who occasionally post things to which I'm vehemently opposed—right-wing US politics, certain religious stances, etc. But for the most part, I seem to agree with them the rest of the time. Seems like we might like the same technologies, maybe the same TV shows and music.

Sometimes I think it's a really strange thing, to be so similar yet so different. But, usually, I just smile and nod and move on—there's no sense in trying to convert someone on their own blog, if there's even a way to convert them in the first place.

And besides, I don't even like the idea of trying to induce a conversion in the first place—best thing to do is just meet in peace on whatever common grounds exist. And, if there's any changing of opinions in the cards, it'll happen naturally. Which assumes, of course, that you're dealing with rational actors. When you're not, that's when you may need to revisit your strategy and likely walk away.

Archived Comments

  • Exactly, Les. I mean, I look at all of us like circles on Venn diagrams: we overlap in spots, but not everywhere. I've yet to find the blogger with whom I agree 100% and wholeheartedly [if I found them, I'd just stop, y'know?].

    And frankly, I think it's good to read the opposing viewpoints, even if you get really angry and disagree. I hope that it's a situation where we can all admit that, at some level, they have a point. [Not everyone does, though.] I generally assume that folks are rational actors trying to muddle through with logic---we just have a varying set of basic assumptions from which we start, which may or may not be variable...

  • Yeah, I think Keith's site was one of the first that had me so interested in some parts and so appalled at others. But there are certainly plenty out there. I guess I could just subscribe to a specific tag or category they have on their blog, but then you get this weird half truth...

    BTW, nice implementation of Wordpress - one of the better Kubrick-based ones I've seen (liking the AJAX commenting, for instance :-)).