I had a really pointless argument at work today that was great fun but highly instructive to me about how really useless communication can become.
At work I made the following sweeping comment - 'Churchill was the only man who could have led Britain so effectively during the war.'*
Immediately two members of the group made similar loud, vocal rebuttals - 'Rubbish. That statement is illogical as clearly there were thousands of people who could have done. My Grandfather for example'*
The debate then raged back and forth covering the following general threads:
1/ Surely the context of UK war politics narrows the field of potential candidates to those who could have ruled rather than including scullery maids though Mrs Higgins at no.14.$
2/ Context must be given by the speaker (alone) - they are responsible for the message getting through.+
3/ Context is supplied by both receiver and giver - their is shared responsibility in understanding.$
4/ Lord Beaverbrooke was a very good potential candidate. +
5/ You're upset because we didn't understand your message. Don't be pathetic. +
6/ I'm upset that you credit me with an intellect of a baboon's bottom and can't see that I wasn't postulating some crazy posibility whereby all people got a chance to rule and that Churchill was still the best.$
7/ Lord Beaverbrooke was in charge of war production but never revealed any special people skills. $
8/ You're comments need refutting because you don't know you're talking about. You know nothing about WW2 politics. +
9/ You just want to attack me rather than even attempting to engage the hypothesis with actual names (with the honourable exception of Beavers.) Who is your grandfather?$
10/ Look give up, you made a silly statement. Don't know who my grandfather was.You are far too argumentative.+
11/ You made the statement silly and an argument in nonsense by giving it a crazy context far removed from the context suggested by reality.No I'm not argumentative.$
* not verbatum - can't remember the exact words but its near enough.
$ superier points raised by me
+ lame sub arguments postulated by troglodytes
Anyway - it got me thinking about how naff communication can get when one or both sides of the communication decide not to try and understand each other. Silly nits. Reminded me of some heated religious discussions I got into with JW's as a missionary. Neither side actually wanted to listen and give any credit/perceived ground/understanding to the other. Ho hum.
For anyone still reading this I've magnanimously forgiven their foolishness and poor arguments and accepted a self agreed moral victory. Besides Time Magazine man of the year 1940 ( I think ) agreed (ish) with me.
The frustration of communication
by Qcmbr 6 Replies latest jw friends
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Qcmbr
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jaguarbass
I guess you hoisted a flag and no one saluted. That happens.
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Qcmbr
We all laughed and agreed I was totally right at the end.^
^lie
We did laugh though:) -
compound complex
Hey Q,
Met up with a troglodyte the other night - a rather affable chap. He did make an effort to be helpful when we needed an assist with directions. His gestures were meaningful, but his speech was unintelligible. Often when we speak our truth, it's like a tree falling in the forest and no one is there to hear it fall. If I'm mixing my metaphors, I do apologize. One needs to speak, or write, regardless of the outcome one may wish for yet not receive. Write makes right, if done in the right spirit. Did you say that you were a missionary? Kindly expand if such disclosure is no longer classified material. Sorry we took so long getting to you. What you had to say is valuable and we did not intend to be dismissive by our tardiness.
CoCo
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Warlock
At work I made the following sweeping comment - 'Churchill was the only man who could have led Britain so effectively during the war.'
The fact is, he did, and as for anyone else, we will never know.
Warlock
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bebu
LOL @ Com-com. Oh yeah, I agree...
Q, your modesty inspires me. But I'm not sure to what.
bebu
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JWdaughter
Churchill really was the BOMB, wasn't he? He led Britain in quite a heroic and legendary way. Although I understand that my grandpa was a great cook while serving in the war, I am sure he couldn't have done ANY better than old Winston!
We do tend to get into some petty arguments don't we-humans I mean! Not that I am ever petty, mind you, but I have noticed that the rest of the world is really struggling with that issue.