Differences in Opinion
We're going to have to agree to disagree here.
Sure.
I'll start.
Don't bother chiming in. I can disagree enough for the both of us. Besides, you're not intellectually qualified to compete at this level of discourse. I'm a firm believer in playing devil's advocate, and believe me, when I pretend to be advocating your side I'll do a far better job of it than you ever could. Really, I'm doing you a favor here.
Naturally, everyone has a right to his or her own opinion. And, since we're all reasonable adults, our opinions are all equally valid. So when you spout out your personal ill considered, sub-moronic, knuckle-dragging opinion, my opinion is that you're not worth listening to. I'll respect your right to be an idiot, and you'll respect my right to be better than you are. I think that's fair, balanced, and totally supported by objective reasoning.
I'm not being self righteous. I'm just right. I can understand how you'd confuse the two -- after all you're clearly used to acting self-righteous while being totally and thoroughly wrong. We often see ourselves mirrored in the actions of others. But that's not really fair in your case, is it?
Make no mistake here. There are a multitude of gray areas in the realm of human belief, in which reasonable people may disagree. Scientific proof or simple logic can support seemingly contradictory ideas, and the best each of us can do is approach these gray areas with the mental tools at our disposal. Our ideologies, our practical experience, our education, and beyond all, our wisdom.
But this isn't one of those gray areas. No, this is one of those simple areas clearly designated in black and white, with big neon signs with pictures and multiple languages distinguishing the two. And your mental tools are mostly based on which pithy one-liners made your friends laugh in Junior High. Some of us worked very hard to hone the metal faculties we require to thrive in a complex world. Please don't diminish our efforts by equating our thought processes with yours.
I genuinely believe that as human beings, we owe each other a certain minimum level of respect. And this is what I'm showing here. I respect you enough to tell you that you're not even TRYING to live up to the minimum expectations I have of other human beings. It's not like I have high standards. In fact, I have very low standards. It's just that I have some standards, and that alone puts me out of your league.
I'm sorry if all this comes off as condescending, but when someone's whining at the bottom of a sewer, it's hard not to talk down to them. I'd happily meet you somewhere in the middle. Perhaps the gutter? I have great faith in the human capacity for growth. I know you can meet me in the gutter.
Maybe not today.
Maybe not tomorrow.
But someday.
Maybe!