les wrote:
<< The real insidious thing is how polarization tends to make us
confrontational. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and ultimately
opinion
is just what we like and don't like. Remarks from others about our opinions
reflect upon our ability to judge. Nobody believes they have bad judgement
and no one likes to have their judgement called into question. It gets even
worse when it is in front of people whom you admire and want to impress
favorably. If someone questions my judgement, I get annoyed with them very
quickly. When someone questions my integrity, I can become enraged (or is
that outraged?). Sometimes the annoyance is enough that I set out to shoot
them down in flames. Every one of us has done that from time to time. >>
les,
recently, i was involved in a discussion on this list on the same
subject (opera vs.pops). lloyd hanson and i went back and forth on this
subject for over a week, coming from adversarial viewpoints. to our credit,
we stuck to the subject. we also expressed our viewpoints passionately, not
subjugating them in the least. others partook of the discussion, on both
sides and some in the middle (as you might have).
the value of debate, controversial debate, is that it forces one to
re-examine one's viewpoint. that which was once gospel is now uncertain.
by such questioning, one is forced to seek out new information and to learn
more. the valuable lesson that sports offers is; no matter how good you
are, if you lose, you must find a better answer.
i didn't convince lloyd to drop opera for a career covering bob dylan
songs nor, did he convince me to come back to opera as a sort of prodigal
son. what i did get out of the discussion was a clearer view of what i had
come to value by singing other kinds of music. in fact, lloyd himself was
the one who clarified my feelings in one statement. i suspect lloyd had to
dig deeper into his thoughts on the value of opera and, if not learning
anything new, he may now have a more vivid conviction.
others who participated, who may have been upset and are now questioning
all they held as gospel, will now have to find better answers. i hope they
do.
mike
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