I don’t get into debates and arguments often because regardless of the point I’ll be trying to make, I’m sure I’ll fail at it somehow. Either my emotions will get the best of me, my words won’t come out right, or my facts will be wrong. It’s been my experience that these things usually happen, even when simply opinions are at stake and there’s no win or lose. Well, there’s supposed to be no win or lose when it comes to an argument of opinion, right?

The times I will get into it with other people is when I know for damn sure my supporting facts are solid, I know the topic like the back of my hands or I honestly don’t care if people don’t care for my opinion. Unfortunately, these cases don’t occur often enough. Things will get me riled up, either because I’m so severely convinced my opponents are stupid beyond help or I’m made to feel like a dumb failure somehow. It’s even worse if I don’t intend to get into it with others, I simply want to offer support to somebody else or throw in a non-combative two cents and I’m pulled into it anyway.

That’s why I avoid hot topics like politics, religion, and most other controversial topics, even though I often feel goaded by others’ ignorance and closed-mindedness. I never feel good after arguing because even after making good points, people rarely become enlightened or try to understand your side as well. I’ll almost always try to see both sides of an argument. There are, of course, exceptions to this because sometimes there’s just not agreeing with dumb or absolute wrong.