Posted by Dinah on December 8, 2008, at 13:21:51
In reply to Re: Who is University?, posted by Sigismund on December 7, 2008, at 16:59:23
Too true. :)
I had prepared my look of interested inquiry.
But unless my son changes drastically, I don't think I need worry overmuch.
I don't know if I've ever expressed my own political beliefs on this board. But my main political belief is that most people on all ends of the spectrum have more or less the same end goals. Broadly defined. And that since intelligent and responsible people hold all sorts of different points of view, we should assume that there is something worthwhile or valid or fulfilling about them. My job is to listen to all points of view, and to sort out how I really feel about them. Well, I must confess that I might not wish to listen to all manners of expressing a point of view.
Barack Obama and Bobby Jindal, in my own political viewpoint, are closer to each other than they are to many people of their own party. They both appear to be intelligent, able to listen, and concerned with the outcome rather than the ideology. I voted for both, and have high hopes for both. Mind you, I've been disappointed before.
Anyway, the connection to this thread is that my father and I used to talk about religion and politics all the time. He used to drive me crazy by switching sides. I considered it his love of a good argument and his desire to see me get annoyed. And he did love both of those things. But lo and behold, I find myself doing the same thing with my son. Not switching sides, because I'm generally careful not to take a side. But in presenting counterpoint to his thoughts. He thinks things through very well already of course. But there is always the temptation to think about one side of an issue and come to a conclusion. Saying "people who feel differently on that topic say that...." introduces a different point of view, and clarifies the difficulties of consensus.
So... I'd like to think I'd take whatever he brought home well. And that he'd despair of shocking me.
poster:Dinah
thread:866448
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20081115/msgs/867496.html