Why It's Pointless to Argue about Politics or Religion

"My experience tells me... You're wrong!"

I used to argue a lot, especially in The Before Times.. before Trump... before Covid... before the January 6th Insurrection. I'm ashamed to say I disrupted many a dinner or visit with extended family and friends by holding forth with my rants and my "well thought out" positions on the political issues of the day. And worse, sometimes these drifted into my noisily defending my half-baked religious philosophy. 

Predictably, this left a trail of broken, or at least slightly dented, relationships. After a while I realized that I came away from these confrontations not feeling better but worse, having stubbornly held my ground and made my points come hell or high water. When the dust settled, I felt a little sad and sometimes ashamed that I was leaving behind post-brawl wounds that might never fully heal. 

Like most writers, I sometimes write to figure out what I'm really thinking. That was the case when I created the rather lengthy essay "Why Its Pointless To Argue About Politics Or Religion."  I decided to revive it from the archives at this time when we are so very fractured as a nation. And I'm also sharing this just in time for the holidays. Maybe it can help you avoid inflicting scars on relationships that are important to you. 

Related Articles: 

• Forgive Them. It’s Just Their Inner Chihuahua. (chapter in my free book Worth Sharing: Essays & Tools to Help Project Managers & Their Teams
• From Political Hobbyist to Political Activist: Why and How to Make the Shift
• 5 Things You Can Do to Get Positive Political Results in a Soul-Numbing, Negative Media World (w/ links to tools & resources)
• The Truth Finder: 3 Questions & Lots of Links to Help You Distinguish Fact from Fiction
• Media-Induced Ignorance & How to Neutralize It  
• Political Polarization & Media Habits -- This is a great article based on Pew Research Center's surveys. It helps show where particular media outlets lie along a liberal/conservative continuum. You could use this to search for opposing points of view on any topic!  
• FactCheck.org's special report & video:  How to Spot Fake News  
• Curate Your Own News: Why You Should & How You Can (chapter in my free book Worth Sharing: Essays & Tools to Help Project Managers & Their Teams

Authority, Responsibility, Freedom & Ordered Liberty: How a Basic Management Practice Clarifies Our Civic Duties

In the past year or two the Covid pandemic has prompted serious questions about our civic responsibilities and individual freedoms. Vaccination and mask mandates, business and school closures, travel restrictions and other attempts by public health officials to control the spread and reduce casualties from the disease have been met by fierce opposition from some folks while being welcomed by others. Many of those opposed to the mitigation measures feel that their individual freedoms are being trampled. 

In this essay I'd like to explore how a widely accepted business practice, that of balancing authority and responsibility, has clarified and inspired me to think differently about these issues. In particular, I'd like to suggest that these are not so much legal or constitutional questions as they are questions of morality. 

Authority versus Responsibility: Why the Balance Matters