Can’t We Just Agree to Disagree?

 I am back trying to get my unpublished book “The Split Second:  In Consideration of Others or Look Up from the Phone and How to Deal with Rudeness in Others” published. I will not give up for right now whatsoever; however, there is enough “pushback” against my concept of a society where we all get along and are nice to each other. Then there are others who motivate me to go on with this project. I am incredibly grateful to them. I hope I can get the good word out there. Some love it; some think it is useless.

I want to continue to discuss an important consideration of life and how we might be more considerate of others is sad these days for me and for others. I am discussing when people do NOT value other people’s opinions even if they differ strongly from their own beliefs. These several blogs will deal with how we might be a better society if we try to understand views different than our own and enjoy the difference.

I have met many people in my life who do not share my political views. I have often said that I enjoy talking about the news of the world and the nation with others so much that the last person I want to have a political discussion with is a clone of myself. Having written that, I have dealt with many people who want to malign those who do not think as they do. Often these people, who exist on “both sides of the aisle” let us admit that, will typify people who think quite differently than they do as “evil” or someone other very distasteful moniker. I find it abhorrent to call someone “Nazi” unless she/he really wants to bring back Hitler’s regime and establish it in this country.

When I encounter such a person, I will often say, “This is how I feel about our political differences. I think it can be fun. Let me give you this scenario: when election day is here, and you and I go to the precinct. If you so support Candidate A  and I support Candidate B (and that very well may be the case), I would rather you vote for Candidate A than not vote whatsoever.” Unfortunately, too many people have looked at me when I say that and exclaim “NO!” and very often let anger begin in their system, become very wide-eyed, and often start turning a shade of red. I find this sad.

I am for everyone who has the right to vote in our society to do just that and vote. We need to speak as a population of this country and express OUR collective desires for society. Regrettably, too many people only see THEIR opinions in matters and anything that differs from that is plain wrong. Sad, I think. This is another example of the fact that many of us need to “get out of ourselves” sometimes.

My book is about thoughtfulness for others and openly showing it. Many have told me that this is slipping away in society. I believe that we can truly become a society where we can all think of others as we “go out in the world.”  It must start somewhere.