Agree to disagree?

[beetiger]

Prompted by several discussions, on LJ and elsewhere, over the last week or so.

[Poll #288769]

Feel encouraged to discuss in more detail.

Comments

[aynjel.livejournal.com]

See, the thing is, a lot of it depends on attitude. I can be friends with someone with a different perspective than I have, even with strongly-held beliefs, as long as we can both be respectful of each other. We can disagree, even argue, as long as it doesn't come down to name-calling, unpleasant assumptions based on the different stances we're taking, sweeping assumptions.. that sort of thing.

As long as we can disagree respectfully, it's much easier to remain friends with them. Granted, in some situations, disagreeing respectfully just means avoiding the topics of disagreement, especially when one or both of us feel strongly about the topic.

I can like (or even love) someone with a wildly different belief system than I have as long as we're not trying to push/pull/bully each other onto the other side, and as long as we share other interests or as long as we have other qualities that give some kind of positive energy to the friendship. I think I'd be bored if everyone I knew and liked agreed with my views on everything and thought exactly the same way that I do.

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

I second this. :)

The core beliefs I insist other friends share with me are human values: respect, compassion, responsibility, that sort of thing. Everything else is a refreshing opportunity to hear something you don't believe and see how you feel about it.

If people push, I wait. If they push more, I keep waiting. If they continue to push after I've patiently waited for them to get the hint that I don't want to have anything to do with the pushing, then I snap back.