I don’t think there is anything like a good old fashioned argument. I’m not talking about a debate; all formal and prepared where we point and counter point our way to two plausible solutions. And I am certainly not including the new age “disagreement” where people are verbally sparring ; “ I’m right and your right” but we are both grinning and the mood is still copacetic AND neither of us is really admitting to having a closed mind on the subject. I am talking about a quarrel , A butting of heads, a honest to goodness yelling match where neither of us gives up an inch that isn’t won where both of us have our experiences and education to use as exhibits and arguments. I’m talking about when we are both getting winded and our minds are flung wide open searching for evidence to prove our point .
I love a good argument because it allows two people to passionately express their inner most belief, or their sharp edged view and even their ignorance or intellect. To me there is something exhilarating and primal about a good argument. To me having a heated discourse allows us to absorb new ideas and really inspect our point of view, it allows us to pour out our perception into the air like a cloud so that everyone around us can breathe it, taste it and ruminate on it. I have always learned something valuable from an argument. I have had very memorable arguments and far more unmemorable ones. Sometimes in my close relationships I have had arguments about nothing –just because what was really bothering me had nowhere else to vent.
I am mentioning all this because I have met several people lately who insist that raising my voice in protest and argument is wrong, they have said- as Buddhists we should be reserve and acquiescent. We should be silent observers. Well I’ve read quite a lot of the Buddha’s teachings and the various Buddhist texts and they are filled with arguments, profound points of view that are debated in a lively, aggressive and challenging manner. But I will agree that there is reason to believe we Buddhists should be calm and collected. There is very little emotion expressed in the Buddhist texts, Pali cannon’s, and Sutra’s , they are written as lectures, discussions and educational some even as fables. But I know arguments were there –there had to be energetic, lively, and passionate arguments, otherwise who would have really paid attention. Sometimes –for me –right speech gets a little loud.
I love a good argument because it allows two people to passionately express their inner most belief, or their sharp edged view and even their ignorance or intellect. To me there is something exhilarating and primal about a good argument. To me having a heated discourse allows us to absorb new ideas and really inspect our point of view, it allows us to pour out our perception into the air like a cloud so that everyone around us can breathe it, taste it and ruminate on it. I have always learned something valuable from an argument. I have had very memorable arguments and far more unmemorable ones. Sometimes in my close relationships I have had arguments about nothing –just because what was really bothering me had nowhere else to vent.
I am mentioning all this because I have met several people lately who insist that raising my voice in protest and argument is wrong, they have said- as Buddhists we should be reserve and acquiescent. We should be silent observers. Well I’ve read quite a lot of the Buddha’s teachings and the various Buddhist texts and they are filled with arguments, profound points of view that are debated in a lively, aggressive and challenging manner. But I will agree that there is reason to believe we Buddhists should be calm and collected. There is very little emotion expressed in the Buddhist texts, Pali cannon’s, and Sutra’s , they are written as lectures, discussions and educational some even as fables. But I know arguments were there –there had to be energetic, lively, and passionate arguments, otherwise who would have really paid attention. Sometimes –for me –right speech gets a little loud.
