Strong desire to understand.

[Edwardo Piet]

How strong is your desire to understand? Do you struggle to agree with what you do not understand? Do you feel like you need to understand everything? Do you hate condescension?

Wondering how many peeps can relate to this.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I try to understand what I don't agree with, and I hold off on condescension until some asshole tries talking down to me ... then I'll perhaps give him what-for, or simply overload his brain with syllables.

[A Handmaid]

If I don't understand something, and someone's trying to make me agree. I can't possibly say yes until I know what I'm making a choice about.

[paulpablo]

How strong is your desire to understand? Do you struggle to agree with what you do not understand? Do you feel like you need to understand everything? Do you hate condescension?

Wondering how many peeps can relate to this.

I have the strong desire to crack the skull open of condecending people.

I don't feel like I need to understand everything, there's loads of deep philosiphical threads on here that I don't understand and don't want to take time to understand.

I can't agree with what I don't understand.

My desire to understand is reflected in how much I care about the topic that I'm looking into.

I voted no. I don't struggle to agree with something I don't understand because I don't attempt to agree with something I don't understand.

By understand I mean have at least some vague understanding of.

I don't fully understand evolution and everything involved with it but I agree with mainstream science regarding evolution based on the understanding I have of it.

If one of the math wizards (or witches) on here shows me the answer to a complicated maths question I won't agree with them, I might put my trust in them that their answer is correct but I don't think I'd class that as agreement.

I think there's a difference between me saying "Yeh this guy probably knows what he's talking about, he's been proven to be reliable and clever before." And saying I agree with that person.

[robvalue]

I'll say no. The important part is deciding what is and isn't a good way of coming to conclusions.

I have no problem agreeing that something I don't understand is probably true, based on indirect evidence. If a scientific theory has been posited for example, I understand the methodology involved, and I understand that it can be toppled at any moment. It only takes one person to point out that it's not falsifiable, or to falsify it, in order to topple it. So the fact that it's still there shows it's probably true.

I don't have the time, energy or expertise to be able to personally confirm everything myself. I take the approach that the more something affects me personally, the surer I want to be about it and the more I want to understand it, if possible.

[Aoi Magi]

If I feel the need to actually agree or disagree with something, I'll try hard to understand it first. If I don't understand, my stance will most likely be neutral.

[robvalue]

Good point. I have no problem at all just saying "I have no opinion", if I don't understand something enough.

[Kernel Sohcahtoa]

How strong is your desire to understand? Do you struggle to agree with what you do not understand? Do you feel like you need to understand everything? Do you hate condescension?

Wondering how many peeps can relate to this.

If I was ignorant of a topic or did not understand it, I would first own up to it and try to gain a basic understanding of the subject matter before agreeing with any of it (this is assuming I'm interested in it). For example, if an instructor expected me to just accept the validity of a mathematical idea without demonstrating why it works (he would demonstrate the proof later on in the semester), then I would feel awkward: I don't want to blindly accept things.  I enjoy the challenge of understanding unfamiliar ideas and being able to explain them in simple and concise language if possible. However, I do not have a need to understand everything: I've made peace with the fact that an individual can only know and accumulate a limited amount of knowledge in their lifetime.  As a man much smarter and wiser than myself said: "the smarter you are, then the more you know you don't know."

I have no problem with condescension. If someone is talking down to me, because I lack an adequate understanding of the subject matter, then I'll chalk it up for what it is: I'm ignorant of the subject matter and I can either let it go or educate myself.  If I choose to let it go, then I cannot in good conscience express any agreement or disagreement with it.

[vorlon13]

I struggled with comprehending the literature at 12 Steppers. What I found most helpful was attending regularly and noticing others who kept coming back were getting better.

[Primordial Bisque]

Yes, I try to understand as much as I can; but I'm also aware that there will just be some things that are well beyond me. I still try, though, but will leave the talking to the folks with the better grasp on whatever the subject. Whether I agree with it, or not, depends entirely on the subject matter.

I dislike condescension, but deal with it on a daily basis at work so I'm sort of numb to it.