The dirty dozen
Anyone who has lived in certain sections of most cities is familiar with the game the dirty dozen. In this game the two participants insult each other until one gives up. The insults often refer to the sexual activities of the opponent’s mother. It is not likely that either of the participants confuse this game with a debate. The clear intent is to insult. Thomas Keneally in his novel Crimes of the Father: A Novel, has the mother of the chief character, Frank, saying: “And now the mongrel Murdoc press is cheapening debate by mistaking insults for arguments and editorial for news.” (Page 24 in the Kindle edition of the book)
It appears to me that humans resort to insults when we are unable to articulate a cogent response. The representatives of one or both sides of an opinion have depleted their knowledge and/or are unable to formulate a complete sentence in the time frame allotted.
I am one who needs to write out my thoughts to organize them. In fact I may and invariably do need to do a first, second and third draft before what I have written takes on the appearance of a logical set of statements. I was one of those students who sometimes came up with right answer in math or some other subject but, when asked, could not clearly articulate how I arrived at the answer. When, however, I mapped out the process I was able to do so. Even when writing, my mind does not go click, click, and click. In academic settings I often found that I would sit for seventy-five percent of the exam time quieting my mind before I could respond to the essay questions or math problems. By the time I begin to write or type my hands were channeling the energizer bunny. It may appear to others that my mind is operating at warp speed. Not so. I have to beg, plead, threaten, and blackmail my mind before it engages gears and begins to move down the track of logic.
As the character in Mr. Keneally’s novel suggests my brain may not be that unusual. It may be that many of us are reluctant to say that if you try to force me into a discussion when I do not have time to quietly bring facts or at least cogent thoughts together then I will resort to insults or at best what my friend Barbara calls sound bites.
I first need to take time to really listen to what the other person (s) is saying. Then I need to let it roll around in my mind and draw out the map of the words on paper. Only then can I begin the process of formulating a thought.
I recently had a brief exchange with my friend Joel in Facebook messenger. I was able to do that because I had spent considerable time this morning writing about the ideas being exchanged. We were not engaged in an in-depth theological discussion. Neither were we trading sound bites or engaging in the game of the dirty dozen.
I am not against the game of the dirty dozen. The game, however, should not masquerade as a debate.
Today I will give myself permission to let others know that I will be happy to engage in a debate if, in fact, that is the goal. If, however, the goal is to pretend that trading insults is a debate, I am not going to participate. There is no appropriate response to such an invitation other than silence.
Written February 11, 2018
Anyone who has lived in certain sections of most cities is familiar with the game the dirty dozen. In this game the two participants insult each other until one gives up. The insults often refer to the sexual activities of the opponent’s mother. It is not likely that either of the participants confuse this game with a debate. The clear intent is to insult. Thomas Keneally in his novel Crimes of the Father: A Novel, has the mother of the chief character, Frank, saying: “And now the mongrel Murdoc press is cheapening debate by mistaking insults for arguments and editorial for news.” (Page 24 in the Kindle edition of the book)
It appears to me that humans resort to insults when we are unable to articulate a cogent response. The representatives of one or both sides of an opinion have depleted their knowledge and/or are unable to formulate a complete sentence in the time frame allotted.
I am one who needs to write out my thoughts to organize them. In fact I may and invariably do need to do a first, second and third draft before what I have written takes on the appearance of a logical set of statements. I was one of those students who sometimes came up with right answer in math or some other subject but, when asked, could not clearly articulate how I arrived at the answer. When, however, I mapped out the process I was able to do so. Even when writing, my mind does not go click, click, and click. In academic settings I often found that I would sit for seventy-five percent of the exam time quieting my mind before I could respond to the essay questions or math problems. By the time I begin to write or type my hands were channeling the energizer bunny. It may appear to others that my mind is operating at warp speed. Not so. I have to beg, plead, threaten, and blackmail my mind before it engages gears and begins to move down the track of logic.
As the character in Mr. Keneally’s novel suggests my brain may not be that unusual. It may be that many of us are reluctant to say that if you try to force me into a discussion when I do not have time to quietly bring facts or at least cogent thoughts together then I will resort to insults or at best what my friend Barbara calls sound bites.
I first need to take time to really listen to what the other person (s) is saying. Then I need to let it roll around in my mind and draw out the map of the words on paper. Only then can I begin the process of formulating a thought.
I recently had a brief exchange with my friend Joel in Facebook messenger. I was able to do that because I had spent considerable time this morning writing about the ideas being exchanged. We were not engaged in an in-depth theological discussion. Neither were we trading sound bites or engaging in the game of the dirty dozen.
I am not against the game of the dirty dozen. The game, however, should not masquerade as a debate.
Today I will give myself permission to let others know that I will be happy to engage in a debate if, in fact, that is the goal. If, however, the goal is to pretend that trading insults is a debate, I am not going to participate. There is no appropriate response to such an invitation other than silence.
Written February 11, 2018
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