The Power of Persuasion

This should be a very short entry, because I’m fairly convinced that I’ve never changed anyone’s mind about anything. Ever. I mean, EVER. Wow. It feels good to admit that out loud. What a load off my shoulders! If there were a 12 step program for people like me, I’d be at step two. Step…

This should be a very short entry, because I’m fairly convinced that I’ve never changed anyone’s mind about anything. Ever. I mean, EVER.

Wow. It feels good to admit that out loud. What a load off my shoulders!

If there were a 12 step program for people like me, I’d be at step two. Step one was “Admitting I’m powerless to persuade others”. Step two should probably be, “Stop wasting your time engaging in debates”.

And it’s true, I do debate a lot. Facebook is probably the last place on earth I should hang out. It’s bad enough arguing with people face to face, but when you can do it from the relative anonymity of cyberspace, people can get downright hostile.

Ironically, I hate confrontation. Absolutely despise it. It’s not like I’m going around getting into shouting matches with people or exchanging emotionally charged epithets. (And one rarely gets to use the word epithet, so I will give myself a moment of silence to appreciate the opportunity.)

But when I hear someone say something, well, stupid, I have a hard time not providing facts and logical counterpoints, and, yes, it’s true, a few well-placed opinions. But the only result I can really see from my actions, if I’m completely honest with myself, is a marked increase in my stress level.

I am finding this blog helpful, though, in terms of having a safe place to vent. But I need to totally detox from the anxiety roller coaster that I have constructed for myself. So I am hereby going to make an effort to live and let live.

But if you would care to help me in my emotional growth, you could start by trying to be right a little more often. Thanks in advance.

persuasion

(image credit: de-motivational-posters.com)

8 responses to “The Power of Persuasion”

  1. You may not have persuaded many people to change their minds, but you breathe new life into their thoughts, encourage them to look at the Big Picture and weight both sides of every issue. THAT is an accomplishment!

    1. Wow! I never thought of it that way. Thanks Carole!

  2. No, I Thank You!

  3. Knowing that you have never changed anyone’s mind has totally changed my mind about you.

    1. Well then, does that mean I’ve changed your mind by…oh, my head hurts, suddenly.

      1. I now have to change my shorts… ha!

      2. ………………………sorry…………………..

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