Why I Read People I Disagree With
Copywriter Ryan Healy had an interesting post today discussing the reasons why people unsubscribe from his blog. Not surprisingly, many had to do with e-mail overload. But quite a few had to do with Ryan’s openly conservative Christian mindset.
I’ve been reading Ryan’s stuff for a couple of years now, and I’m very far from either conservatism or Christianity. But I still read him. Here’s the comment I posted on his blog that explains why:
I get some posts like those as well. And Ryan, while you and I are poles apart politically (I think Obama has sold out to the conservatives), and while I do consider myself a person of faith, I don’t happen to be a Christian, or particularly religious. But for me, those are not reasons to unsub. You always keep a civil tone, and I think core disagreements force me to rethink my positions, justify them to myself, and sometimes find them wanting and shift. If you were nasty about it, that’d be different. (I don’t read much of Dan Kennedy anymore because he’s way too shrill in his conservatism. I do read Clayton Makepeace, and have even contributed a few articles to his conservative news site as “The Unabashed Progressive”–but I tend to turn off when he goes political).
Anyway, in spite of my ultra-crowded in-box, I’m continuing to read your stuff even as I’ve cut back on a lot of others 🙂
And I love both your commitment to ethics (which I share) and your copywriting/marketing smarts.
I trust also that if you read my blog, you wouldn’t be turned off by the unabashedly progressive positions I often take.
A lifelong activist, profitability and marketing specialist Shel Horowitz’s mission is to fix crises like hunger, poverty, racism, war, and catastrophic climate change—by showing the business world how fixing them can make a profit. An author, international speaker, and TEDx Talker, his award-winning 10th book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, lays out a blueprint for creating and MARKETING those profitable change-making products and services. He is happy to help you craft your messaging and develop profit strategies. Learn more (and download excerpts from the book) at http://goingbeyondsustainability.com
[…] Why I Read People I Disagree With […]
It’s refreshing to read a post like this in a time when there’s so much polarization of views.
I’m reminded of a scene from the movie Troy, when the old king Priam goes to Achilles to beg for the body of his son, Hector, whom Achilles had killed and dragged through the dust.
Achilles, moved by Priam’s pleas, agrees to return Hector’s body, but reminds Priam, “We’re still enemies in the morning.”
Priam responds, “You’re still my enemy tonight. But even enemies can treat each other with respect.”
A good reminder that just because two people stand on opposite sides of an issue doesn’t mean they have to be hostile. It’s possible to disagree and still be civil. Kudos to you for demonstrating that!
.-= Jeffrey Tang´s last blog ..Getting Results and a Better Way to Work =-.
It’s refreshing to read a post like this in a time when there’s so much polarization of views.
I’m reminded of a scene from the movie Troy, when the old king Priam goes to Achilles to beg for the body of his son, Hector, whom Achilles had killed and dragged through the dust.
Achilles, moved by Priam’s pleas, agrees to return Hector’s body, but reminds Priam, “We’re still enemies in the morning.”
Priam responds, “You’re still my enemy tonight. But even enemies can treat each other with respect.”
A good reminder that just because two people stand on opposite sides of an issue doesn’t mean they have to be hostile. It’s possible to disagree and still be civil. Kudos to you for demonstrating that!
.-= Jeffrey Tang´s last blog ..Getting Results and a Better Way to Work =-.
It’s refreshing to read a post like this in a time when there’s so much polarization of views.
I’m reminded of a scene from the movie Troy, when the old king Priam goes to Achilles to beg for the body of his son, Hector, whom Achilles had killed and dragged through the dust.
Achilles, moved by Priam’s pleas, agrees to return Hector’s body, but reminds Priam, “We’re still enemies in the morning.”
Priam responds, “You’re still my enemy tonight. But even enemies can treat each other with respect.”
A good reminder that just because two people stand on opposite sides of an issue doesn’t mean they have to be hostile. It’s possible to disagree and still be civil. Kudos to you for demonstrating that!
.-= Jeffrey Tang´s last blog ..Getting Results and a Better Way to Work =-.
It’s refreshing to read a post like this in a time when there’s so much polarization of views.
I’m reminded of a scene from the movie Troy, when the old king Priam goes to Achilles to beg for the body of his son, Hector, whom Achilles had killed and dragged through the dust.
Achilles, moved by Priam’s pleas, agrees to return Hector’s body, but reminds Priam, “We’re still enemies in the morning.”
Priam responds, “You’re still my enemy tonight. But even enemies can treat each other with respect.”
A good reminder that just because two people stand on opposite sides of an issue doesn’t mean they have to be hostile. It’s possible to disagree and still be civil. Kudos to you for demonstrating that!
.-= Jeffrey Tang´s last blog ..Getting Results and a Better Way to Work =-.
Shel – Thank you so much for the positive feedback. I really appreciate it.
Like you, I find it beneficial to read other viewpoints. Many of my friends have quite different views than I do, and I believe that’s a good thing.
As you mentioned, it forces us to re-examine our own positions. I think it also forces us to be considerate to others. I’ve been wrong before and I will probably be wrong again! 🙂
Ryan
.-= Ryan Healy´s last blog ..Reasons Why People Unsubscribe =-.
Shel – Thank you so much for the positive feedback. I really appreciate it.
Like you, I find it beneficial to read other viewpoints. Many of my friends have quite different views than I do, and I believe that’s a good thing.
As you mentioned, it forces us to re-examine our own positions. I think it also forces us to be considerate to others. I’ve been wrong before and I will probably be wrong again! 🙂
Ryan
.-= Ryan Healy´s last blog ..Reasons Why People Unsubscribe =-.
Shel – Thank you so much for the positive feedback. I really appreciate it.
Like you, I find it beneficial to read other viewpoints. Many of my friends have quite different views than I do, and I believe that’s a good thing.
As you mentioned, it forces us to re-examine our own positions. I think it also forces us to be considerate to others. I’ve been wrong before and I will probably be wrong again! 🙂
Ryan
.-= Ryan Healy´s last blog ..Reasons Why People Unsubscribe =-.
Shel – Thank you so much for the positive feedback. I really appreciate it.
Like you, I find it beneficial to read other viewpoints. Many of my friends have quite different views than I do, and I believe that’s a good thing.
As you mentioned, it forces us to re-examine our own positions. I think it also forces us to be considerate to others. I’ve been wrong before and I will probably be wrong again! 🙂
Ryan
.-= Ryan Healy´s last blog ..Reasons Why People Unsubscribe =-.
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