This will be my final post for this blog. As the blog has progressed, it has become abundantly clear to me that the forum has been one of expressing ideas, but not a place to hear or to attempt to understand ideas (this is not intended to be a criticism, as I have admitted that I fall into this category as well); accordingly, I think it has become little more than a perceived obligation and source of frustration for me and likely for many of you. There are two key points that I was unfortunately ignorant to as I began this venture:
1. Only my own household would respond to the arguments.
2. A blog is simply no place for a discussion.
I’m not greatly bothered by the obligation to respond to arguments myself, except that I know I haven’t the time to do so given the nature of the blog. The second point, however, cannot be ignored. Regardless of which side of the coin you find yourself on, it’s clear that the vast majority of discussions have been little more than one monologue followed by another. I had thought that the discussions would be more succinct and less combative. What I found, though, is that the Comments section morphed into a debate-style back-and-forth, where the goal was not to listen, but to win. If you’ve attended a debate before, you know that virtually no one leaves the debate feeling differently than when he/she entered. As with a debate, rhetoric has seemed to be of paramount importance; as such, week after week has proven to be fruitless for all parties involved. The only reason I can think of to continue the blog is pride (really, that’s why it has gone this far); instead, I think I’ll simply concede to the fact that it has been a failure.
I’m always open to discussing different points of view and I appreciate all of the thoughts and ideas that were brought to the table. I relish the opportunity to explore some of the many topics this blog has brought to light. It is clear, though, that such discussions should take place in person (or perhaps in a less structured environment). I hope you’ll accept my apologies for cutting off at the midway point. I really think, though, that it’s best for all parties involved.
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