An Argumentative Culture

            I do not consider myself a very argumentative person.  I try to keep as level of a head as possible and discern the right judgment on every controversial subject.  Like most people, I tend to think my views are always right.  I see or hear people argue on TV, the Internet, the radio, and on campus.  However, I always find myself thinking, “Why can’t we all just get along?  Why can’t we just solve these issues in a calm way?”  However, it never seems to work that way.  The most interesting arguments are about issues that are very sensitive to people because of their own personal experiences.  For example, topics like politics, sexual identity, race, and religion get people worked up very quickly.  Formal debates take place at academic centers, but the most interesting ones occur in your local bar.

            As part of a class on Irish literature during my senior year of high school, my teacher took the class to an Irish pub in downtown Milwaukee and taught us there.  The lecture was interesting enough, but the patrons of the pub provided the real education for eavesdroppers like me.  There were two men seated at a table over empty lunch plates, and they were evidently arguing about politics and Barrack Obama’s healthcare plan.  Our class arrived at the beginning of the discussion, and by the end of the discussion it was difficult to ignore them.  What started as a friendly discussion escalated to shouting and banging fists on the table after about thirty minutes.  They were obviously in opposition to one another and had a burning passion for their respective positions.  What’s more, both of their arguments seemed very well-formed.  While at first I was a little annoyed that people could be so obnoxious and argumentative, I realized that it was comforting that these people cared so much about our country.  Arguments arise out of our passions.  As humans, we have strong opinions, and it is natural that we want those opinions to be heard.  At the end of their discussion, the two men stood up, shook hands, and said, “All right then.  See you tomorrow!” with smiles on their faces.  They pushed their emotional argument to the side and did not let it affect their friendship.  While their argument did not change either person’s respective stance, it had a small impact on the world.  They forced everyone around them to acknowledge the issue at hand and form an opinion on the matter.  While it is hard to make change with just small discussions, the argument culture of the world’s citizens is the key to expressing our passions and spreading awareness.