DisSuggs4u

My friend Charles asked a very good question in response to my previous post:

So how/where/with whom do we discuss and/or do something about this?

I did not respond to him right away because I was struggling with trying to squeeze my response into the comments area.  Eventually, I decided that it should live in its own post.  So, here goes…

Good question.

With whom: Anyone any everyone. Use your best judgment on that, but the idea is to at least start the discussion. Ideas, like knowledge, is useless unless it is shared.

I believe that much of what should improve/change in the world does not occur because we either fail to discuss our ideas or share our points of view with others, or we assume that someone else is worrying about it.

We, as Americans, spend a large portion of our time sitting in front of the television, which is a one-way medium. You can scream at your TV all you want, but no one can hear you (see any sports bar during a major sporting event for proof). Therefore, you have to make your voice heard, which leads to another part of your question…

Where: Here, if you’d like. Or on your own blog… or any other blog or public forum for that matter.

The idea is to have some dialog in a two-way medium: either through conversations with others in your life, letters to your congress critters or editor of your local/national newspaper, or online discussions.

In years past, these types of open discussions occurred in dueling newsletters from independent printers or Op-Ed sections of newspapers. Today, it makes more sense for these discussions to take place online — be it through blogs, forums, or email.

Yes, there are trolls out there who lurk within online forums and offer nothing but criticism and no reasonable solutions. Be beyond all of that noise, real debate is taking place.

For me, the key is being respectful of others and their views while comparing and contrasting with your own. You can never be fully confident that your ideas are worth their salt until you weigh them against those of others and see if they pass the fire test.  Often, if you are like me, you will realize that you were not entirely right and not entirely wrong.  There are many situations where there are no out and out “right” and “wrong” positions as there are far too many shades of grey in between to ever take absolute positions (for some topics).

However, there are some situations where no common ground can be found, and you have to then agree to disagree in order to move on.

I admit, getting out there and starting the conversation is the hardest part.  Years of getting comfortable in front of the television has lead to a lack of conversation taking place in and around the household. How long has it been since you sat on your front porch and chatted with your neighbors? I know people around me look at me kinda surprised when I actually try to talk to them. (Then again, it could just be me.)

Therefore…

How: I leave that up to you to decide.