The other day I was involved in some political banter online with a fellow journalist (I use that term lightly).  I was impressed at how they reacted emotionally to dissension. 

I began to think about it.  I argue points in writing with little to no emotional involvement.  I will try to strike a nerve to expose core beliefs in others but I don't try to hurt anyone's feelings per say. 

Again, the banter of my online argument (I use THAT term in its figurative sense) made me think.   People sure can take things more serious than the point of discussion deserves.  I mean, people argue over sports, politics, the quality of coffee, and you name it. 

When you think about it.  Why?  To what end does your arguing serve?   Do many of us really think we can change anothers' mind by our words?  Most people argue to no avail.  Most of us argue in conversations we damn well know we never can win (term used loosely).

I think this is how I managed to stay married for so long.  Sometimes it helps just to know you are right and keep your mouth shut.  Sometimes it helps to know your opinion will only make others more contemptuous or angry over what?  The key is knowing that other people react with emotion.  The only time an argument is worthwhile is if you know you are talking to a reasonable person that doesn't react, but responds. 

It's like the point I made the other day regarding my son.  When I told him we all learn from each other, I meant it. The way we learn is by having an open mind when others speak.  When we feel we "know it all" we are really just closing out mind to the input of others.  We not only have our mind made up, worse yet we have closed our mind to new information that allows us to either reinforce what we already know and believe, modify that belief or change our mind.

I suppose it's not so much of how serious we take things.  It's what we elect to take serious.