What’s the trait you value most about yourself?
Understand as I lay out this trait that it is a trait that is still in the process of development. Part of the reason for the underdevelopment is that most of my life I avoid offending anyone. Thus, what I truly feel or believe remains hidden and unspoken.
As of this writing, if certain family members were to read the paragraph above, they might typify it as insincere. I have been labeled foolish, ungodly, a jerk, a bully for sharing my “controversial” opinion usually commenting on someone else’s viewpoint.
What they don’t realize or see is how traumatizing that is for me to be labeled as such. I often revert back to my initial learned behavior of just keeping my opposing opinions to myself. It has been kindly recommended to me by people who care about my feelings and more harshly demanded by those offended by my opinions.
Even though I value this trait, I think I need to adopt the “keep my opinions to myself” trait as a partner to it. The trait I value the most is being able to hear or read even subtle dissonance in an argument or opinion. I taught argumentative writing on the college level which included a study of propaganda techniques, logical fallacies, and other errors in reasoning. Researching argument so as to teach it successfully, I learned that even though I could not name the logical fallacy, at an early age I knew something did not ring true.
I admit that I am better at it when reading or hearing others and less attentive to it with my own words. Maybe analyzing my own opinions more and the discovery in others to myself is a better way to effectively use this trait. What do you think?
Categories: soul searching
Douglas Knight
I have the rich life full of a sinner wounded by misunderstanding and punishment but blessed by mercy and forgiveness.
Knight Writer 