Talking to people who really disagree with you can represent a very enjoyable intellectual exploration if you approach it the right way. Detach yourself from your own opinions, circumstances and feelings and instead view the conversation as a neutral observer who was just encountering the debate for the first time. Appreciate the time the other person is putting into expressing their points. Reflect on how wrong most people have been throughout history and how hard it is to be confident about anything. Don’t focus just yet on the consequences or social desirability of the different views being expressed—just evaluate how true they seem to be on their merits. Sometimes this perspective is described as ‘being philosophical’.
I agree. However, detaching ourselves from our own opinions and feelings, even if we think of ourselves as first-time onlookers, can be hard. Debates had about effective altruism aren’t of the garden-variety. Often they’re about what lives matter, what’s the best way to help others or, what the nature of each of our own obligations are. While I want helping others, and engaging others on how to do so, to be fun, it can be hard. These are all topics we take seriously. I wouldn’t fault someone for not seeing the ‘fun’ in such debates, or feeling a ‘fun’ attitude was unfitting.
If I was going to add another I think it would be
7. Have fun
Talking to people who really disagree with you can represent a very enjoyable intellectual exploration if you approach it the right way. Detach yourself from your own opinions, circumstances and feelings and instead view the conversation as a neutral observer who was just encountering the debate for the first time. Appreciate the time the other person is putting into expressing their points. Reflect on how wrong most people have been throughout history and how hard it is to be confident about anything. Don’t focus just yet on the consequences or social desirability of the different views being expressed—just evaluate how true they seem to be on their merits. Sometimes this perspective is described as ‘being philosophical’.
I agree. However, detaching ourselves from our own opinions and feelings, even if we think of ourselves as first-time onlookers, can be hard. Debates had about effective altruism aren’t of the garden-variety. Often they’re about what lives matter, what’s the best way to help others or, what the nature of each of our own obligations are. While I want helping others, and engaging others on how to do so, to be fun, it can be hard. These are all topics we take seriously. I wouldn’t fault someone for not seeing the ‘fun’ in such debates, or feeling a ‘fun’ attitude was unfitting.
A good way to challenge your own beliefs! A part people always miss being all the way religiously committed.