Re: back off, man

["Lois Melina" <lmelina@moscow.com>]

In my experience, what makes conversation difficult (with anyone of any
political hue) is not the peculiarity of the view, but the assertion that
what is being said is more than a view--that it is the unarguable truth.
Once a conversation moves from people sharing their differing views to
offering evidence of the "rightness" of that view, whether that be with
statistics, with Bible verses, by diminishing the intelligence of the other
person, it ceases to be useful, except to make the individuals feel better
about themselves.

In my peculiar view, much of the purpose of Vision2020 in recent weeks has
been compromised by some people who are more determined to be "right" (or
prove someone else "wrong") than to advance a meaningful discussion of how
Moscow can be improved. 

Lois Melina


Doug writes:
> in Moscow over the many years I have lived here, I 
> have had many acquaintances, friends and neighbors who do not share my 
> peculiar views, with whom I have gotten along famously. But I do admit
that 
> I do not have very many friends in the ultra-leftist sectarian fringe. I 
> seem a little extreme to them, and it makes conversation difficult.
>