(January 18, 2012 at 4:40 am)5thHorseman Wrote: Mine (Highlighted parts) are because I, at college, am often called arrogant, I just remind classmates that because I know more thn they do, does not mean I am arrogant. Selfish doesn't really apply as i'm altruistic.
I also like to debate furiously IRL, probably will like to have a formal debate on here when college finishes at the start of June.
For me, to get worked up over somebody's unsupported claim, is a failure to pick my battles. Of course it all depends. If the other person is a fundie, then I've got to know going in that the person isn't interested in debating what beliefs reason will support. Otherwise, why not? That is probably why we are here.
But I wouldn't dismiss equanimity. That is definitely something to be appreciated now. There won't be any more of that to enjoy in the grave than there will be debate. Equanimity isn't just the absence of reaction or worry. You can realize things that way that may not come up in debate. Besides your hero Hitchens used tobacco to maintain a livable level of equanimity. I think learning to maintain some equanimity without incurring lung cancer or emphysema or a stroke or heart disease is worth the effort.
