Unfinished Business

[zachwolff]

About a month ago, in Dictators and Anarchists, I wrote about a march in memory of the 1976 coup d'etat that led to the Videla dictatorship. At the time, I didn't exactly understand the point of a march in memory of something that everyone obviously already remembered quite well. Recently, talking with Cristina, I asked what ever happened to

Comments

[soraljuset]

"the complete failure of government to provide any of the goods it is supposed to provide - security, justice, etc

[zachwolff]

The tone wouldn't have bothered me a couple years ago, but it bothers me now. It bothers me because it makes it all too tempting for me to slip into the same tone myself, and then we just end up yelling at each other. It's not that I don't like the whole yelling, mean debating thing, the act of doing it, because I do like cutting fodder to pieces. The problem is that while I might enjoy it in the moment, as a sort of sport, it's not really a very constructive way to build mutual understanding. And right now, I'm a lot more interested in building mutual understanding with you than in winning (or losing) a debate with you. So, I'm going to take deep breaths and try to respond to this in a friendly way.

Ever think you'd be hearing this from me?

[soraljuset]

noted for the record. will amend my tone next time.

...and appreciated.