All True Wayism
I don't exhibit One True Wayism. I just don't have All True Wayism. I have the ability to say that, out of all the myriad Right Ways, the number of Wrong And Bad Ways is merely higher than zero. In other words the number of situations where the truth lies quite far from the middle, is merely higher than zero.
I think where I differ from many in our circles, is that friendship with someone who tends toward a Wrong Way does not create an intense emotional discomfort of the recognition that their position, after long and fair-minded contemplation, is not one with which I can find a middle ground.
I also don't allow hostage-taking in this area. The good thing is that All True Wayers, when they take their frienship hostage, tend to go away on their own motivation. I need not attempt to convince them that they are being rude to me by insisting that the price of admission for a friendship is totalitarian adherence to All True Wayism. If they return to me, they have self-selected as being worth having. If they don't talk to me any more, because I'm insufficiently totalitarian in enforcing All True Wayism, they're not worth having around. It's a self-solving problem.
Comments
rachelann1977 on Mar. 23, 2008 3:25 PM
To tell the truth, I'm never able to absolutely believe that any way is Wrong with a capital'W'. The same is true of the opposite. I know what I believe, but I also know that by beliefs tend to change as I come to understand the world better over the years. I am willing to listen to anyone who is not filled with anger. Anger will always push me away, but that's an emotional thing, not an ideological thing. And I can be friends with anyone who is not rude to me and I enjoy spending time with. I do tend to be skeptical of those whose beliefs are very strong, mostly because I know it can lead to bad places if left unchecked. But I just keep my eyes open and don't consider it a reason not to pursue friendship.
rbradakis on Mar. 23, 2008 3:57 PM
"All paths lead to enlightenment. I believe I'll take the Drunkard's Walk" - Me.
Even if you go the wrong way for a long time, your path can still come around.
twoofdtm on Mar. 23, 2008 5:40 PM
*nodnod*
matt-arnold on Mar. 23, 2008 5:57 PM
Hooray for that.
uplinktruck on Mar. 23, 2008 8:10 PM
True friends can agree to disagree.
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