Do you have friends or family that you feel are worthy of your intellectual prowess? In other words can you have a truly intellectual debate or conversation with them and dissect a topic within reason? If you cannot do you feel it is because they are not able to comprehend the topic, unworthy of such conversation, it is boring, or that you merely believe they are not mature enough to handle such topics?

What does this say about the people that you engage with? I mean no we cannot choose our family, but we can try to educate them. I understand that some people we cannot change their opinions or views no matter what but having healthy debates and conversations can help stretch people’s minds and understandings of many concepts that they may have been ignorant to without telling you. Sometimes you actually ‘drop some knowledge on them unintentionally.’

Then there are the  hot topic debates that you almost always avoid because you choose not to engage in these because you already know how people feel or how most of society feels. You would rather not lose a friend or family member over such things. I tend to still hit these head on and say to people here is my view but I can see your view (whether I understand in it’s entirety I may not but I can see it and I will definitely research it). I always feel I owe people that much. Research is necessary.

Research is the pinnacle not to win an argument or discussion because that is not the point. The discussion should be about enjoyment and entertainment; however, knowing facts are important. People tend to argue for the sake of arguing and feeling that they must ‘win’.

But what is a win? Was that the goal when you started the conversation? Are you running for election? Are you trying to gain support for something? If not why is it so important that people see YOUR side? Why not have your opinion even if only quietly in the back of your head and enjoy the conversation or just listen to the rest of the conversation?

Every conversation is a discussion or debate with 2 sides; however, I challenge you all to try to have more substantial conversations in life. Not just gossip. I’m not saying go find boring things necessarily in the news or political things or even philosophy, travel, read, look at art and talk about it. Look at documentaries that show more than just the latest celebrities hairstyles and make-up. And if fashion interests you so much look further into and look into the history and talk about that. We have to show new generations how to use their brains for more!