It’s interesting to me how people who are so dogmatic in their viewpoints (particularly in regards to religion or politics) can often be heard declaring how the “other side” is stupid or idiotic. It’d be fabulous if I had a penny for each time I heard someone call someone else an idiot solely based on the observation that the other person’s viewpoints differed from their own… I’d be filthy rich, using cash as heating fuel because hey… when you have that much what else are you going to do with it all?
The divisive “us vs. them” mentality is completely counter-productive. Nothing has ever been resolved by bickering and name-calling like a bunch of kindergarteners who’ve missed their nap time. The way I see it is an unwavering, unyielding, close-minded, dogmatic, stance on any issue is probably not the “correct” stance. Reality is never extremist or totally black-and-white. Those who are unable (or unwilling) to recognize nuance are, in my opinion, the ones of sub-par intelligence. And no, I’m not saying ‘har har har extremists are idiots’ but instead that it isn’t exactly a hallmark of wisdom and intelligence to take a rigid, unwavering, narrow viewpoint.
Similarly, those of the mindset “if only everyone lived and thought just like me, we’d be in a utopia,” are probably not the ones who should be doling out criticisms of the intelligence of others. Empathy and the ability to understand (not necessarily agree with) the points of view of other people is the key to solving issues. You can’t just selfishly sit back and say ‘this works for me, fuck ya’ll’ and expect a good outcome. It’s insane. This ‘my way or the highway’ attitude some people have is completely unreasonable, and in my observation it is these very people who go around espousing others as “idiots” or “stupid.” Seriously? Or for my urban friends, for realz??
I supposed it is just human nature to think and act selfishly and ego-centric, at a primitive level anyway. Maybe this is why so many people think praying works. If you pray hard enough, things will go your way (*cough*). What if someone equally devout is praying for the exact opposite? Say you are praying for the snowstorm to miss your town so you don’t have to risk your life driving in it to get to work 50 miles away (valid concern, right), but your kid is praying for the storm to hit so they get a snow day and avoid the bully at school who’s been threatening him (also valid concern).
It’s baffling to me that some people can’t understand that the world doesn’t revolve around them. I’m starting to think the population is branching into two evolutionary paths as far as thought process; the ego-centric, selfish, stubborn thinking; then the more collaborative, empathetic, society-based mode of thought. Which will win out…stay tuned for 20,000 years or so…
