I think I'm done arguing.
Keanu Reeves has an excellent policy: he never argues with anyone. Even if they say 1+1=5, he says that’s great, and have a nice day. That’s a talent I have yet to master, but I’m getting there.
I recently had a “talk” about religion with some folks and got both barrels: militant atheism and virulent antisemitism. Because, yes, you can be an atheist and an antisemite.
This exchange disheartened me because I considered the people I was talking to friends, but I quickly realized that for these people, friendship ran a distant second to being “right.” And I no longer have the time or energy to deal with that.
By all means, have opinions and beliefs. Stick to them! But maybe keep them away from me unless you’re simply making a statement of fact. I don’t want to argue. I’d be happy never to argue again.
There was a time when I loved to argue. Man, being “right” was more important to me than anything. And you know what? I alienated many people, lost friends, and ended up practically alone. I understood then that there were more important things than winning a verbal tussle.
So, I’ll take a page from Keanu Reeves’s book and… stop arguing. That doesn’t mean I’ll stand there and accept abuse, but I’m no longer interested in having the prevailing opinion. I think what I think, and I’m happy to let you believe what you will. Deal?