After this blog post came out, I got a terrific email from a reader, Laura. She told me that she was frustrated with my point of view because I seemed to be advocating standing up on a soapbox and throwing your opinions out there, with no supporting evidence.
When I got her email, I thought, “wait, surely I didn’t say that? That doesn’t sound like me!” But when I went back and re-read it, I saw that Laura was exactly right. I had not connected the dots in the way I thought I had.
I’m bringing this up for three reasons. One is to set the record straight—my position is that we have a responsibility to assert our beliefs and observations, and to remain open to hearing why we’re wrong. I think it’s our duty to dig for evidence, to listen to conflicting viewpoints, and to change our minds when it becomes clear we should.
Two, I’m really grateful to Laura for writing, and the exchange I had with her was a heartening instance of how people can communicate about a difference of opinion on the internet. I emailed her back, thanking her and telling her she was right, and she then wrote to me, thanking me for taking the time to reply. She said, “I rarely respond, but your blog touched a nerve.” Great! I love that.
Three, this is such a good example of what happens when we can’t get out of the way of our own thinking. I was sure I had covered the point she made in her email—it was clear in my own mind! But I had made an assumption in the text of the blog, and left it out completely.
Thanks, Laura. Keep those emails coming!
