Comments on: Sinéad O’Connor: Nothing Compares 2 U http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/06/26/sinead-oconnor-nothing-compares-2-u/ Roger Bourland writes about music and life Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:56:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.10 by: Roger Bourland http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/06/26/sinead-oconnor-nothing-compares-2-u/#comment-564 Mon, 26 Jun 2006 14:39:38 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/06/26/sinead-oconnor-nothing-compares-2-u/#comment-564 Oh well, you got me on that; at the wedding a few weeks ago, I was seated at a table with a young married couple. The man, a shortish chap in his mid-20s, told me he was a philosopher. I haven't had that stimulating of a conversation in years. He told me about his dissertation and I actually was able to help him with it. Having that conversation felt so GOOD! Why can't all conversations be like that. Well, I guess I'd burn out. So, sure, I hope to have deep conversations, but so far my experience still supports "my philosophy" (above). After resisting, I started a new category THE SPIRIT HIGHWAY where I confess and think over things spiritual, successful and not, in my life. The posts are open for comments, blogging is a new kind of communication, so my other theory is also true: look what people DO and less at what they say -- that especially goes for me. As a teacher, I only discuss religion in terms of encouraging students to be open to all points of view. I am not comfortable discussing my own thoughts on any of these topics, but rather to discuss them respectfully if and when they are brought up in class. In discussing religion, yeah, I think people rarely budge on what they believe. The best, and unfortunately rarest, conversation, is one where differing points of view are on the table, and there is no "attitude" or superiority or condescension on either side. But alas, this is rare. And when arguing about religion comes down to bitter disagreement or stubbornness, and people end up actually disliking each other, what's the point? That's what I meant. Oh well, you got me on that; at the wedding a few weeks ago, I was seated at a table with a young married couple. The man, a shortish chap in his mid-20s, told me he was a philosopher. I haven’t had that stimulating of a conversation in years. He told me about his dissertation and I actually was able to help him with it. Having that conversation felt so GOOD! Why can’t all conversations be like that. Well, I guess I’d burn out.

So, sure, I hope to have deep conversations, but so far my experience still supports “my philosophy” (above).

After resisting, I started a new category THE SPIRIT HIGHWAY where I confess and think over things spiritual, successful and not, in my life. The posts are open for comments, blogging is a new kind of communication, so my other theory is also true: look what people DO and less at what they say — that especially goes for me.

As a teacher, I only discuss religion in terms of encouraging students to be open to all points of view. I am not comfortable discussing my own thoughts on any of these topics, but rather to discuss them respectfully if and when they are brought up in class.

In discussing religion, yeah, I think people rarely budge on what they believe. The best, and unfortunately rarest, conversation, is one where differing points of view are on the table, and there is no “attitude” or superiority or condescension on either side. But alas, this is rare. And when arguing about religion comes down to bitter disagreement or stubbornness, and people end up actually disliking each other, what’s the point?

That’s what I meant.

]]> by: citrus http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/06/26/sinead-oconnor-nothing-compares-2-u/#comment-563 Mon, 26 Jun 2006 13:57:18 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2006/06/26/sinead-oconnor-nothing-compares-2-u/#comment-563 "My philosophy used to be to not talk about religion or life philosophy unless someone asks you. I’m now revising that to just not talk about it at all. It’s so personal, it rarely serves much purpose except to make intra-personal walls even higher." Uh, does this mean it's OK to talk about most anything but that which flows deepest in one's life? If so, it seems to me that this leaves social conversation on a slippery slope to eternal superficiality. La Dolce Vita replayed? Citrus “My philosophy used to be to not talk about religion or life philosophy unless someone asks you. I’m now revising that to just not talk about it at all. It’s so personal, it rarely serves much purpose except to make intra-personal walls even higher.”
Uh, does this mean it’s OK to talk about most anything but that which flows deepest in one’s life? If so, it seems to me that this leaves social conversation on a slippery slope to eternal superficiality. La Dolce Vita replayed?
Citrus

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