If you accept the assertions I have been making here lately about relativity in objects and the perception of objects, it makes it very easy to understand why you should not discuss controversial topics such as politics at your family dinner this week. The answer is as simple as this:
Even if you and your crazy uncle agree on the universal nature of an underlying object (a moral ideal for example), you probably have very different perceptions of the object.
For example, even though you and your uncle may agree on what integrity is, you are not going to agree on which political party has a better handle on integrity. Your perceptions are probably so different that you might as well live on different planets.
That our perceptions of such ideals as integrity seem to be getting more divergent and unreliable by the year is a big problem that I will address another day. Suffice it to say it is simply too big of a problem to fix at Thanksgiving dinner.
Let’s be honest: it is easy to throw out little comments to bait your uncle who has never met a conspiracy theory he does not love. It is also easy to react when he baits you.
I would remind you of how truly admirable people engage in debate. Go read a bit of Plato. In fact, read his dialogue Euthydemus (which is hilarious by the way) and watch how he recounts Socrates debating utter fools with kindness and grace. I am reading St. Augustine’s The City of God now and see the same characteristics.
We need more of that; a lot more of that. It takes time to argue that way though, and Thanksgiving dinner is probably not the place for it. You are simply not going to change anyone’s perception of reality at a dinner. You will however likely make dinner awkward.
Find common ground. Find a way to discuss the universal nature of the objects themselves rather than relative perceptions of them. You just find out you have more in common than you think. That is the silver lining in all of this. In spite of the acrimony that seems to be getting worse, we still have a lot of common ground when you really go looking for it.
Yes, I am preaching this sermon to myself. Yes, this goes for Twitter too.
Marla and the kids have been working hard on decorating, and I think our house looks spectacular this week. Below are a few pictures.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving. Regardless of our religions or belief systems, we all get the power of gratefulness. I am grateful and hope you are as well.
