Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Forbearance



. . .[U]ntil our robot masters take over the world, the Internet isn't going away. So what our polity needs is a bit more forbearance. A good bit of it. Accept that people who vote differently don't want to destroy the republic. When someone you know says something wacky, don't argue with them - try smiling, being pleasantly bemused, and moving on in the conversation. (This goes double when the wackiness comes from someone you don't know. First of all, you're not going to change their mind. And second, why do you care what they think?} But above all, the next time a Two Minutes Hate ramps up, step away from your computer and get a cup of coffee. You'll be a better person. And you'll feel better too.

Forbearance is the rare virtue that provides its own rewards.

- Sonny Bunch in The Seven Deadly Virtues, edited by Jonathan V. Last

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