Avoiding Internet “Suicide Bombers”

There’s a great line at the end of the movie WARGAMES. The computer WHOPPR says that “Global Thermonuclear Warfare is an interesting game. The only way to win is not to play.”

Can we please be as smart as that fictional computer?

Political arguments on FB strike me as the same sort of thing. Can we have discussions to clarify positions and gather tribe? Sure. But the number of people crying about time, energy, and emotions wasted trying to change people’s minds without FIRST diminishing the fear, gaining rapport, and establishing a common language outnumbers the number of times I see someone saying “They changed their mind and that mind STAYED changed” by about 100:1.

So what was the point? What were you trying to accomplish? Unless you can establish common language, rapport, intent, and rules of argumentation and evidence DON’T ARGUE WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGING IN POLITICS (“How can I win?”) as oppose to philosophy (“What is true?”). Don’t argue. Instead, take care of yourself, and support your tribe. That tribe will include, IMO, people of different political perspectives willing to pass the Three Gates.

Remember: clarify your intent. There are always multiple ways to reach an intent. Clubbing other people into the dirt with your brilliant rhetoric and savage put-downs may be satisfying, and the peanut gallery will cheer…but don’t lie to yourself and say it was the only thing you could do. And many times, that was one of the LEAST effective and efficient things you…