A Philosophical Question
This may be a false dichotomy (I don't think so), but...
Is it more important to be right, or to be kind?
Is it more important to be right, or to be kind?
posted by MichaelPolutta at 9:38 AM
Friday, March 23, 2007
About Me
- Name: MichaelPolutta
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
I am the husband of Natalie, the father of Lauren and Rachel, the son of Larry and Janie, and a child of God
Previous Posts
- More on Big Dreams
- Big dreams
- Jazzed about SuperWeek
- The market is going down
- More thoughts on debt
- Blessing and responsibility
- Who I am, what I do
- Back and Forth (or, Forth and Back)
- A quick call my wife won't like
- Another thing I do not understand
6 Comments:
Hmmm, interesting question. My first instinct was to say to be right. However in dealing with some people right is an impossibility. For example, I could say, Homosexuality is a sin and I believe this to be a true statement based on the teachings of the Bible. However, if you were talking to a homosexual person about it, kindness might be your only option. You would have trouble convincing them otherwise, in which case all I can do is be kind, love them anyway and pray that they find Jesus and change their ways. I suppose in the end my final answer is to be right and be kind about it when possible.
It is a false dichotomy, as the two are never mutually exclusive. The opposite of "right" would be "wrong" or "false," and the opposite of "kind," would of course be "unkind." I would say that to be unkind IS to be wrong. That said, we should speak the truth in love and as kindly as possible. The problem our modern (or rather, post-modern) culture has is that they confuse absolutes, and truth, with "intolerance," which has become the only recognized sin anymore. But in reality, it is far less kind to lie to someone by pretending there is no such thing as truth, when the universe doesn't work that way.
As one may have suspected, I had an ulterior motive in asking this.
The answers will be for the benefit of my elder daughter. (*wink* to all the other parents out there, especially of "tweens"!)
I agree with Larry on this one, it is a false dichotomy. However, if I did have to pick one over the other, it would depend on the situation. If you are just having a pointless (if the point of it is to build up your pride about being right, then it is pointless) argument with someone, it is better to be kind than to be right. But, like Larry said, if you have to lie to someone about the truth (basically are not telling them what is really "right") to be "kind," that is not the loving thing to do. I would say the LOVE presides over BOTH kindness AND righteousness.
I think that often people cannot accept being wrong. Pride can also get in the way of being right or wrong. I know quite a few people who mistake their pride for being right and in the process lose any sense of kindness. I think the bigger issue is what our world teaches today, that right is whatever you want it to be. It's a dangerous path to be certain.
Its impossible to be right all the time. being right is relative...at the same time being kind saps the most energy out of any person alive :-)
being kind all the time is almost impossible, it will test all the prejudices that person ever had.
If this was a (choice make) question (mutual exclusive answer required) then choosing being kind will be the best option for that person.
If being right was chosen, the world might be a better place(we dont know for sure) but the person will be in constant chaos of decision making.
If being kind was chosen, the world will become more and more dependent and the person is burdened with lots of hardship but his life would have most clarity.
There is a way in between these two choices (kind of decoction ;-) )
Post a Comment
<< Home