I will not argue with strangers (or friends) on the internet.

"Think for yourself!" goes the old cliche.  But, as Austin Kleon writes, "But the truth is: We can't.  We need people to help us think.  Interacting with people who DON'T share our perspective forces us to rethink our ideas, strengthen our ideas, or trade our ideas for better ones."

I can't tell you how many times I've recently found myself typing a comment to someone's post on the internet.   "Listen, you idiot . . ." is how they usually begin (at least that's the hidden meaning when I literally start with, "With all due respect . . .").

When you think about it, thinking independently of other human beings is impossible.  Thinking is social.  Everything you think is a response to what someone else has thought and said.

Maybe, instead of like-minded people, we need to start hanging out with like-hearted people?  People who are open, have the habit of listening, who are generous, kind, caring, thoughtful . . .

Writer and thinker Alan Jacobs suggests hanging out with people who, when you say something, actually think about it -- rather than just simply reacting.

Reacting.  I've been doing a lot of that lately.  And, fortunately, hitting the delete button.  Time for me to CHOOSE to seek out the people with whom I feel a like-hearted connection.

All the others?

Carpe diem Life,
David Kuhn