Growth and Hypocrisy
Hi all,
My college term is ending soon, and I'm feeling pretty excited. Of course, it'll be a shame to leave behind all my college friends, but I'm excited about the change of scenery and I'll see everyone next fall too.
Anyway, here are a few thoughts I have from this week:
The fear of being hypocritical shouldn't stop you from growing and evolving yourself and your opinions.
Admitting when you're wrong is one of the smartest, most noble things you can do. By admitting you're wrong, you help everyone involved move toward the correct decision and practice one of humanity's greatest strengths: adaptability.
While it may feel bad, those who can change their minds when reasonably disproven can thrive and adapt to the future. Those who cannot, and those who say "This is who I am" or "This is how things always have been" are the ones who will find themselves on the wrong side of history, technology, and people's opinions.
2.
People are not your enemies. Just because you've had a misunderstanding or difference of opinion, does not mean you are diametrically opposed.
Before you escalate something into a fight, always weigh the potential risks and rewards of the conflict - in personal interactions, you'll find that the risks almost always outweigh the benefits.
Plus, remember, that there's always the option of walking away.
3.
One of the best things you can do is to learn to be slightly hypocritical. What that means is that you should be able to encounter, understand, and sympathize with two opposing viewpoints without outright rejecting either.
Learn to accept nuance. Often, it is useful to understand another opinion without accepting it. The question is, how far are you willing to go, to understand someone you wholeheartedly disagree with?
However, also remember to be careful. It is easy to fall victim to the "everybody's opinion is valid" mindset when trying to be understanding. There is a balance between objectively calling out people acting in bad faith and trying to understand people's subjective experiences.
Anyway, that's it for this week. Apologies for releasing this post late this week, but I thought it would be better to write it late than not at all.
Have a wonderful rest of the week, and I'll see you all soon.
-Ethan