He's become a socialist after high school, and that's weird (seems like amateur hour) but fine I guess. Different opinions are OK with me, and I even like to debate.
He wanted to lay out for me why socialism was the only moral form of society there is. He did it in sort of a short, simplistic example, and just the little reading I've done already put me out of his league as far as discussing the issue. So anyway I was responding to him point by point, and at one point he made it a bit personal at me, not much but I didn't want him to keep doing it, so I told him not to make it personal. After going back and forth a while longer, he got super personal... attacks that he was basing on things I said before, and extrapolating that I'm so defendant of the system as-is that I would sooner do unspeakable things (that he thinks the system creates) than give up the system. I mean he was just being so awful I don't even want to get into the detail, but just saying things that only a monster would do.
Hopefully he's just being rash, but then an hour or two later he messaged me again (on FB) and expanded on the things he was saying. So this just really bothers me. I wish that people knew how to disagree without being hateful. I mean this guy is one of my best friends and he's calling me an immoral monster all of a sudden. It just sucks that someone who ought to understand me and be on my side (if not about politics, at least about my own decency), doesn't and isn't at all.
He said he's willing to go so far as to lose our friendship just to help me see the "darkness" of what I'm saying.
I guess I'm going to just respond and tell him he's being super rash and that I hope he doesn't really feel that way.
I honestly think some people are just incapable of splitting up logical arguments and personal feelings. I wish there was some better system for weeding out opinionated arguments from logical arguments. It's hard to get to any intellectual conclusion between two conflicting individuals otherwise.
---
"I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific."
Man, didn't someone post something almost exactly like this a few months ago? Was it ZZB maybe?
But damn, it's always rough to get into situations like that. I've been fortunate enough to avoid that kind of confrontation with anyone that I've got a relationship with (some sports debates with randoms, but none with anyone I would consider a friend). Still, that sucks. That really sucks.
As far as advice... I'd say just try to get him to cool down on the issue, and just reinforce that, even though you have differing opinions, you still consider him a friend, and even if he is willing to sacrifice your relationship over some petty argument, you sure as hell aren't.
I guess an extreme measure would be to be just as aggressive as he is, but again arguing about your relationship...but that's probably a terrible idea and I would not suggest that course of action at all.
People change over time. Maybe the friend you had back then is just...gone. It happens, hate to say it =/
---
Well, there is a new accent of n00b language. It's called: Vet LUEser goes Foreign!-MegaSpy22
Those must be the pants of the gods!-Digitalpython
I . . . cannot give you advice nor would I counsel you being that my responses would be severely out of character for you. It may be sorely deserved on his part, but out of character.
Think about if he could truly be your friend if a lifetime (as far as you guys have lived it) of friendship is so easily thrown away for a s***** ideal that won't work for anyone because no single idea will work with everyone.
---
http://lostfacts.net/
I've looked at the world for quite a few years now and I've found that if I don't laugh, I'll probably end up crying.
It's a little amateur hour, yeah. To Gary's "no single idea will work with everyone," I'll add that "no single course of action must and shall be taken to its logical extreme by a rational actor." That's why "you know who thought that? Hitler" repartee is so ridiculous. "Obviously I'm going to stop before I become Hitler," you'll say. You'll continue to be a rational actor throughout the whole process, and whether or not it's easier to reevaluate your actions from an entrenched position, it's at any rate possible and likely to occur.
To put it in nerd terms: "That's what Hitler did" comes from a place of Int, and "clearly my friend isn't Hitler, so perhaps I should explore a more nuanced and livable formulation of my views" comes from a place of Wis, which you get +1 to as you approach middle age.
---
Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir