The Dialogue

Jason Graziano has studied at Cayuga Community College, SUNY Brockport, and SUNY Oswego. His love for intellectual and philosophical pursuits has been the impetus for the writing of this book and of books yet to come. Excerpts

INTRODUCTION

This book is in part (perhaps for the "most" part) a discussion about opposites. Opposite thoughts, ideas, plans of attack, and courses of action. I've tried to be fair to both sides of the particular arguments that I've delved into, but let's be honest, none of us is a totally impartial observer. We each approach situations with our own particular, unique mindset, biases and all. So, while I've tried to be fair, I'm sure I've given short shrift to certain points of view (possibly due to absent-mindedness, and possibly due to my own inability to see a situation from a particular point of view). However, even if I've been totally one-sided in my commentary (which I've at least "tried" to avoid), that doesn't really matter much as the goal of this book is larger in scope than a mere rehashing of old arguments about old issues that we've all heard a million times before. My goal is to get a discussion going again. I say "again" having the possibly delusional idea that there ever was a time of open, frank dialogue about deep issues affecting humanity which never seem to go away and yet, which it seems the majority of people would like to ignore.

Of course, the world is freer now that it's ever been and freedom to say whatever is on your mind is protected in many (though, not nearly enough) parts of the world. However, discussion of important deep issues is not as open as it could or should be even in our freest of societies. Why?

One reason has to be the speed at which our modern world moves. In today's society, who's got the time to stop what they're doing in order to sit and philosphize about all the hidden meanings in the daily happenings of life? Obviously, not too many of us. The demands of job, family, and social life are becoming ever more strict and time-consuming leading to busy, but not always fulfilling lives. Also, this speedy world values the quick, witty (but most importantly, "quick") retort to situations over carefully thought out answers.

Another reason it seems as though discussions have been stifled is the ever-present love of all-encompassing ideologies which give you prepared, shrink-wrapped answers to all of life's little queries. This leads to much more talking, but with less actually being said as we don't live in a simple, black and white universe, but in a complex, subtle, dynamic one.

So, my overall goal is this: To get this discussion going again, not just talk and not just debate, but actual discussion aimed at bridging the gaps between warring ideologies. What usually tends to happen when two sides of a bitterly contested conflict get together to talk is that tempers flare and yelling ensues. I know. I've been on the receiving end of many a righteously idignant screaming session. And yet, I keep coming back for more. I think the reason I haven't learned my lesson is that I have this strange quirk in my thinking habits through which I seem to convince myself that whomever did the yelling didn't "really" mean all that they said. The Israeli's don't "really" think that the Palestinians are the scum of the Earth or vice versa. Protestants in Ireland don't "really" hate Catholics. Republicans don't "really" think that the Democrats are complete morons. While I might be wrong about these particular examples (they may "really" mean what they say) I think it's my way of giving each side the benefit of the doubt that they aren't vehement haters of the other side that keeps me ever-hopeful for compromise.

Now, all of that said, it really is pretty difficult to have a calm and reasoned discussion with another party on a topic abo