Disagreement & Its Benefits
Society has a way of normalizing the avoidance of conflict and disagreements. It’s become a way of living for some to become overly concerned about offending someone, and often, nothing is said at all. Those who hold back the most are usually the people who are socially conscious of how their actions may negatively affect others. However, if we were concerned about others taking offense to what we say, perhaps we’re more capable than we give credit to ourselves for exercising tact.
Disagreements aren’t wrong; they’re simply natural. As easily as it is to write that off as common sense, we may find ourselves a bit more apprehensive than we’d like to be. The easiest benefit to be gained is being able to stop those who want to run others over with their opinion, attitude, aggression, or emotions.
We all have a right to feel a wide variety of emotions but we don’t have a right to over-exert ourselves - thereby emotionally exhausting others. Not everyone understands or respects healthy personal boundaries. Some people need to be taught what may be thought of as commonsense and proper etiquette. While this may be extremely difficult and require patience, especially when difficult people are within our own families, no battle is a loss when we choose to mature and develop through trials.
An additional, more subtle reason to engage in a genuine disagreement - it shows your have courage, you stand for something, and that you have values. Of course, not everyone has the right values. So, what better way to test your values and the reasons supporting them by engaging in a disagreement? Normal, healthy adults are able to engage in disagreements without losing their temper.
It can be frustration or uncomfortable when people lose their temper or become overly dramatic to some degree. However, it only proves to show insecurity and lack of maturity. Is this our fault? No – as long as we aren’t disagreeing with someone in the hopes of attacking him or her or making him or her feel stupid. We should all use commonsense and check our own motives. We shouldn’t be actively seeking out disagreements. They should be dealt with as they organically come up. If we don’t express ourselves regularly, we are at risk of stifling ourselves and living in repression.
People who engage in disagreements for the right reasons become more three-dimensional in society. They aren’t just a wallflower in the back of the room. They have an opinion and they’re willing to share it. People tend to trust a person that shows transparency, even if they don’t always agree with that person. What better way to establish you and build connections through healthy disagreements? Respect others and your will find yourself respected.
For further related reading, please check out: Reliable.
