Barbara Bates

 

Remember when you were young and you wanted to do something, so you asked your mom. And she said, “No.” 

 

So you asked, “Why?” And she said something like, “Because I said so, that’s why.” And the discussion was closed. Then, you had to either be good and do something else, or sneak around and do it anyway.

 

But the above isn’t even really an argument, for there’s no back and forth, just an inquiry and a response. An argument should be more like a debate. Not the type you often see on television, where the debaters just try to make their own point, not rebut the opponent’s views or present new information.

 

I’m going to attempt to start a series called “The Bottom Line”. I will present my opinions and would like you to either agree or not.

 

If you agree, I’d be glad to hear how and/or what  you think about it. Try to be specific and give reasons if you can.

 

If you don’t agree, you can simply say, “I don’t agree.” In which case, the chances of staying posted are okay. If you say, “I don’t agree, because…” you have a better chance of staying posted. But, if you say, “I don’t agree, because… And I’d like to present this as a solution instead…” You will definitely stay.

 

And if you post off topic, you’ll probably be deleted. (Sorry folks, but I started this blog for a reason and it isn’t to let you rant about anything you want. You start your own blog for that.)

 

What I’m saying is I don’t care if you agree or not, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But if all you’re going to do is rant and rave, then don’t bother commenting. If you want to tell me (and the rest of you) why you disagree, and offer another point of view, then welcome aboard.

 

Please keep your comments civil, and without links. I intend to learn how to edit your comments, and so, many of the links may disappear soon. (I don’t mind an occasional link to your site, but if you’re going to respond to every posting in one day, with a link, some of them may vanish. Fair warning.)

 

What exactly do I mean? Let’s take an example.

 

Suppose the premise is: “Lollipops are the best, safest candy for young children. The stick protects them from getting small pieces lodged in their throats.”

 

If you respond with “I don’t think so.” You may not stay posted. (Unless you’re one of the few comments like this.) 

 

If you comment with, “Lollipops are okay, but children can still bite off pieces and they can lodge in their throats.” There’s a much better chance your comment will survive.

 

But, if your response is,”I don’t think lollipops are the greatest, hard candy itself is pure sugar and isn’t good for you. Crunching a lollipop can lead to pieces becoming lodged in their throats. And besides, candy made from real fruit has been found to be better and not cause as much tooth decay.” This will definitely stay.

 

It’s okay to have an opinion, but I want you to share why you have that opinion and if you don’t agree, then what can you suggest as an alternative? It’s fine to say “No”, but suggesting what can be done (or used, or considered) instead is better. If everyone offered an alternative instead of just digging in and not seeing another’s viewpoint, the world would be a better place.  

 

The litmus test “The Bottom Line” articles will use is:

 

Can people exist without XXX? And conversely, can XXX exist without people?

Where XXX is the subject for the article.

Not — Will things remain the same? Not –

Will it affect our present way of life? And not — Will life be better or worse. All those things are subjective – existence is a fact.

 

If you don’t understand it now, don’t worry, it’ll be much clearer when the articles come out.

 

What type of things will be considered for “The Bottom Line”? Well, part of that is up to you. Suggest things for me to consider. What’s your bottom line? On life? On your job? On the condition of society today?  And if my opinion differs from yours, let everyone know. As long as you keep it clean (rated PG or below), civil (no cuss words or name calling), intelligent (no rants allowed, that’s my job), and stick to the rules above.

 

Everyone game?