Discussion is good. Isn't it?

[learnedhand_dj]

I consider myself to be a moderate, politically. True-believers on both the left and the right tend to annoy me, mostly because of their tendency to dismiss contrary opinions rather than defend their own. The reason for my annoyance today is the unwillingness of someone on my FL to discuss a position he's taken on his blog. Rather than respond, he'

Comments

[hjcallipygian]

Eh, can't help you, I'm very private about personal beliefs, I'd never post them on a blog. And yet, IS THAT A PERSONAL BELIEF!? =) Sorry. That's the main reason, I revert to bad humor when uncomfortable.

But I can't imagine posting something under the thought of, "These are my thoughts, to be majestically admired by the rabble! None shall disagree!"

[learnedhand_dj]

Thanks for commenting.

Like I said in a reply to an earlier comment, I view my blog as a sort of electronic news conference. I come out, make an opening statement, and then engage in any back-and-forth those in the audience care to engage in. My statements are sometimes personal, but usually don't tread into controversial territory, because a news conference is not the best place for that sort of discussion.

If I was going to post something intended only for majestic admiration, I would probably indicate its status in the post, so I didn't get any responses from the rabble.

[hjcallipygian]

You're pretty much disposed to discussion by virtue of your post-graduate education, aren't you?

I agree. My blog is pretty much for the point of talking to people about stories and shows and movies I like. I feel pretty confident that no one wants to just read and admire what I think about current events. If I post something about that subject, it's to learn from others.

And anyway, my political discourse tends to be things like, "This Amendment should not be on the ballot, regardless of your beliefs on marriage, because that is a subject for laws, not constitutional amendments." Which, frankly, you know significantly more than I do on the subject, so what am I going to lecture you about anyway?

[learnedhand_dj]

Oh, don't be so sure about who knows what. It's just like any other school thing: if you don't use it in your day-to-day life, it tends to fade. Sure, I took Constitutional Law, but I remember about as much of it as I do of high school geometry. Maybe even less. I remember how to find the area of a circle, but not how to find the volume of a sphere.

Anyway, at this point, anyone who has read enough recently to argue about the finer points of constitutional law probably knows as much, if not more, about the topic as I do.

[frogfarm]

I use my LJ to be a big squeeing fangirl, although I occasionally succumb in others to the level of topics I'd never raise on my own. Still, if I posted something and didn't want to hear about anyone else's opinion, I'd just turn comments off. Problem solved.

[learnedhand_dj]

Thanks for your reply.

In this case, it seems the poster in question did want comments, as long as they agreed with him. Seems kind of pointless to me, but I guess people can do whatever they want in their journal.