I’m personally very careful on issues where I “take a stand” precisely for +Erik Boesen ‘s reasons. I don’t like offending people. Yet, there are a few things that I’ll take a few arrows for. I’ve taken arrows for a “Popular vs Unpopular” position myself, and will gladly do so again.
Some people need defenders. I don’t believe Popular people need defenders because the very nature of being Popular, gives them plenty of defense already.
Popular people do have their own problems of course. It can’t be easy to maintain that position. But to me, that’s like a celebrity crying about the price of fame. It’s part of the deal.
And here’s the difference: Popularity is something you work for.
You don’t work to be Unpopular. The Popular people make you Unpopular by excluding you. Unpopularity is a victim category, as much as I hate that term, and need assistance from strong defenders who can take a few arrows to the knee.
Even if you chose to decide that “This isn’t an issue I want to stand behind.” – I want to thank you profusely for starting this conversation. You’ve helped me personally clarify my thoughts on several issues, not just the nature of Popular vs Unpopular, but the nature of Political Opinion, knowing where to stand, where not to stand, and most importantly for me, where I stand.
I can’t overstate the importance of “no topic is forbidden”. Communication, debate, controversy all help us each understand our own positions in the world; help us understand the great “Who Am I, Really?” question by a process of collecting and comparing our opinions to those of others, modifying or keeping our positions, and ultimately making us better at precisely knowing “What Do I Believe To Be True?”
So, thank you 😀 You’ve already made a difference.
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