#1468, Tuesday, July 14: Alien arguing style

Post 1468, Day 195 of 2015
- 1,656 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

What is the bargaining point between what I want and what someone else wants, if they don't seem to be aligned?

In general, I know what I want at any given point in time, any situation. I like to think I know why I want that thing, as well - although, admittedly, that may not be true.

Because I have a large measure of introspection in my personality, and am old, I usually have previous history with this want, and have therefore given it some thought, either before or after the last time I wanted it. Worse, I can articulate what I want and why I want it.

In short, if you want something different than what I want, and we're trying to work it out, I am a total prick. Not because I will behave badly, but because I will force you to hear the complete rationale of why I want what I want, and why it is the way to do it.

Here comes the dick part: I won't 'fight' for what I want. I will state my case, usually taking longer than anybody else's attention span to do it. When I sense that I am not being persuasive, I give in/give up.

Here's the thing. I love a good discussion, love arguments (where emotions dominate and the discussion becomes adversarial) only a little less. But being 'right' is less important to me than being understood, and certainly less important than friendship and love.

Not that I don't really like being 'right', but I have come to understand its value, and it is a lot less than I thought in the past.

But the fun of a civil discussion with someone who disagrees with me? I won't give that up, until I see that it has become futile. Futility ruins the fun, so I quit - I'm done at that point.

In a personal effort to exemplify what I wish anyone else would bring to a discussion, I allow that I may be completely wrong. I allow myself to be persuadable. And I allow myself the right to disengage.

Other people find this very disconcerting. I wish they found it disarming, instead.

Which brings me to my other point: I try to do all of this without introducing a large dose of emotion into what is, or, in my opinion, should be, a matter of intellect.

That drives some people crazy. It is something I learned from being screamed at, frequently, as a child - emotional reaction, especially attempting to equal the intensity - makes things much worse.

Of course, not everybody sees it that way. Some people's experience leads them to believe the one with the most emotion, not the one with the best argument, 'wins' the debate. And some people believe that expressing any opinion or idea different from their own is a threat, or an argument.

To which I say, I thought everybody loved Star Trek's Spock and Data.

Maybe not. Or maybe they loved them because their approach to discussion was so alien.

Food and Diet Section

Today's Weight:                   207.8 lbs

Previous Weight (7/13):           210.0 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:                - 2.2 lbs

Diet Comment

It isn't the first time I've dropped a kilo or more in a day - usually, it is an accumulation of things over a few days that contributes.

Food Log

Breakfast
Protein shake with almond-coconut milk, kefir, kale, large organic egg, whey powder (36g protein), hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), raw organic cacao powder, fermented coconut water, chia gel, moringa leaf powder, cinnamon, celery and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

Roasted turkey breast chopped salad: shaved Parmesan cheese, baby kale, baby spinach, chard, cole slaw mix and balsamic vinaigrette.

Snack
A cup of beef bone broth from Core.

Dinner
Roast beef and Dubliner cheese.

Snack
Quest bars.

Liquid Intake
   Espressos: 3;  Coffee: 0 oz.; Water: 80+ oz.;

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