Calling all Intelligent Thinkers...I know you here stop by!

United States
February 8, 2008 9:59pm CST
I'm a nursing student finishing up some gen ed requirements for graduation and I have to take an argumentative composition course. For me it works, I like to argue and write. Perfect! Anyway, in an assigned reading I came across a quote and immediately thought about my lot. So I figured it would be a good one to discuss.. The quote is by Christopher Lasch who was a big social critic in the 1970's so here it is: "We come to know our minds while explaining ourselves to others." Do you agree or disagree? Why or Why not? Have you learned something about yourself from reading your posts or letters to someone else that you may not have known before. This quote struck me when I read it because I have been going back and forth on my email with a musicman I know discussing everything from politics to love- and I have learned some things about me that I actually never knew by writing responses back to him...I will go into it further in my responses to posts. Thanks for reading!
3 people like this
7 responses
• United States
9 Feb 08
I don't have to explain myself to anybody. what does that tell you? LOL No seriously, I don't agree. Simply because most of the time we aren't really truthful with others when we are asked to describe ourselves. Just think about "tell me one of your biggest flaws" questions at a job interview. I mean really, who answers that question with "I rush through my work to get it done not really caring how accurate it is and I like to sleep in so I will be at least 30 minutes late everyday if you hire me for this position." I came to know the most about myself through other peoples flaws. I found characteristics in the people around me that I simple detested and then examined myself to make sure I didn't possess any of them. Can you even begin to imagine what a learning experience this place is for me. LOL
3 people like this
• United States
9 Feb 08
That's super interesting. I like the way you look at things. But you must be in my lot hell- LOL or having a great time. It depends on how you look at it. I was mainly thinking with this quote and maybe I should have said this in this post...about spilling your soul about something that maybe you didn't think you were that passionate about but it turned out if you read what you wrote you discovered you were. Here's an example: politics- what I thought was a hopeless issue for me- when I explained my stance to musicman and read through the mail before I sent it, I thought wow it sounds like I'm pretty passionate about something that I didn't think I cared about. He even commented back about that and said the same thing. See where I'm coming from?
2 people like this
• United States
9 Feb 08
LOL- I like your opinion on it..I also like the fact that you have conviction and stand up for it no matter what. You want to take this class for me I'm kind of strapped for time- LOL. :)
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Feb 08
I do agree with this quote. I think that I know myself pretty well, so I haven't really discovered anything new about myself lately. I know that the relationship I am involved in is bad and self-destructive. I admit to anyone who talks to me about it. That's about the worse thing there is to know about me.
2 people like this
• United States
9 Feb 08
I'm with you and my heart goes out to you about that relationship. I hope that he can work through this disease that he has and you guys really get down to that love that I venture to say is there. At least I can tell on your end how torn you are but that demon- booze. I'm also really glad that you know yourself that well. Many people can't say that. Have a great night and very good luck on that relationship. Thanks for the comment.
4 people like this
• United States
9 Feb 08
Thanks for the sweet comments. I actually saw him last night too. And the perfect song was playing on the tv at his house. The chorus was bad bad bad bad boys, they make you feel so good. It sounds kinda gross, but I am sure most people know what I am saying. Can't help the attraction. And it isn't that he's a bad boy really, just has problems. But I won't desert him.
2 people like this
• United States
9 Feb 08
Thank you. My mom asked me that summer when we got back together if I was ready to quit drinking to support him. That was when he had quit for about months. I said yes in a heartbeat. I would do anything to have him. The whole him, not the half of him I get now. Now I'm gonna start crying. It's so sad. I know what he can be and what he really is all about. I don't just see the drunk everyone else does. He tells me that he only sleeps good when he is with me. When I dated him when I was 21, people would ask me who I was seeing and I would tell them I have a boyfriend, but I am not going to tell you who b/c I don't want to hear what you have to say. I didn't care what other people thought and I didn't feel the need to defend him. I know what I need to know and that's that. Why does this situation have to be so sad? I am trying so hard to implement the secret into my life. And since I have started trying that I have been hearing from him more often. I am making a vision board today and am going to put his pic on it with words like sober all around it. Hopefully I can help him that way. I won't force him, but I would be so happy if he could make it through this.
3 people like this
@humbleme (1004)
• India
13 Feb 08
Hello skinnychick,Thanks for the great quotation and I absolutely agree with it.A month back I started a post here which I didnt get a single reply could be the cause its a foolish post ,take a look and reply if you think you are foolish like me hahahahahaaa www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1377205.aspx
• United States
14 Feb 08
Lemme check it out!!
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
9 Feb 08
This is a great topic and it's something I guess I'd never really thought about before. Now that I HAVE thought about I see that quote is absolutely right. I've posted here on topics that I really feel passionate about and sometimes as the discussions have gotten rather heated I've come to know more about how and why I've come to feel as I do on the particular issue. It's kind of ironic at times because as others may do their best - and I applaud them for it - to change my mind as I defend my position it only solidifies my stance. Some things I knew I cared about I discovered I REALLY care about, if that makes any sense. Annie
1 person likes this
• United States
9 Feb 08
It makes total sense and is true- you either change your mind after some thought or as you said it solidifies your stance. Great answer! Thanks for coming by.
@dlkuku (1935)
• United States
9 Feb 08
I agree with it. I have found through the years that when there is a good dialogue going on between people we can often learn something about ourselves. Why? Because we are deep, there are many layers to ourselves. When someone else responds to something we say or write in a way we don't expect, or in a way that disagrees, if we keep our minds open we can see a different viewpoint and maybe sometimes change our minds, not just about the subject, but how we feel about things. Sometimes we even discover that people view us as different than we actually percieve ourselves, for example, I always looked at myself as the shy wall flower, imagine my surprise when someone told me they liked me because I was perky and upbeat! This is a very interesting topic, one to really think about.
• United States
9 Feb 08
Perfectly stated and very true- everything you said here I have been experiencing lately and I have to say I have never been more clear on some subjects as Iam right now. People really do seem to view us different than we view ourselves especially when we let them in to those deeper layers. That outer shell can be decieving. Thanks very much for stopping by and sharing your wonderful response.
@dlkuku (1935)
• United States
9 Feb 08
Thank you for best response, I was quite surprised considering all the good responses here.
• United States
11 Feb 08
Your response just struck me right after I read it I love all my responses always but this one stuck with me! :)
• United States
11 Feb 08
im learnin im quick to get all riled up when someone says somethin that frosts my nuts. i wasnt on hear 1 day an i got so werked up over somethin 1 user wrote that i kept my wife up til 3 in the morn rantin about it. i didnt now i was like that. i used to be acceptin of everyone an there opinion but when the person is just mean and judgemental it makes me maddar than a hornet in a wasps nest.
• United States
11 Feb 08
I like chaps my a*s, too! You can add that one to your bad mood repertoire...:)
@SViswan (12051)
• India
10 Feb 08
I agree. I actually started learning more about myself from the letters I used to write. I also got something from it. Even after I stopped writing letters, I started thinking why I do certain things...helped me understand myself better. It's second nature now and I don't even realize I'm doing it but I always analyze myself to know me better...lol
• United States
11 Feb 08
That's a great thing to do and if you find something wrong it lets you in on being able to change. Thanks for the comment