Anatomy of a rant

What is it about silence that some people find so repulsive? I mean, seriously. Why can't some people just keep mum when things are going just right for them. But no, they have to just open their mouth and make a complete ass of themselves. I find it hard to believe that there are people out there who have this passionate urge to demean oneself in the eyes of others. This fascination to look like a twerp must be one of one of the world's last great mysteries.

Why am I saying all this?

I met someone the other day who made the mistake of stating his opinion on a certain issue on which he had little expertise. And yet, he plodded on with passion raging through his flared nostrils and his voice rising to a higher octave as he hammered away ineptly over each and every point of his so-called argument. He thought shouting aloud made him come across as a persuasive orator but it only invited pity. Of course, I didn't say that to his face because I didn't feel it was tactful to shatter a man's preconceived notions of himself. Not the right thing to do, even if one is in the right. Or so I believe.

But such experiences throw light on so many other issues as well. If one pays close attention to someone's ranting, then, one can, also, get a peek into motives, reasons, purpose and other behind-the-scenes stuff. Sometimes people hold on to a silly premise not because they are convinced by it but because rejecting that premise would force them to adopt a new perspective and opinion. Many people don't like that. They are comfortable in their pre-suppositions, and quite cosy with their favoured myths. Their pre-suppositions have developed roots and are so deeply entrenched in their consciousness that any other paradigm would seem like a bad idea. Even if it makes sense, they'd choose to reject because it's safer to do so.

I can imagine I could be in danger of doing just that, and falling prey to the very things I am ranting against. After all, it is natural to have a few pet premises that one can use as one's ideological prism and favoured benchmark. But the problem is, years of being considered 'weird' and a 'contrarian', as far as public opinion is concerned, has turned out to be of great benefit to me. While it used to upset me when I was young and would often rattle my self-confidence as I was growing up, but now it's like water on a duck's back. I am now able to look back and look at arguments with a certain detachment and search for motives behind any ranting I encounter. It didn't happen in a day but took years to accomplish, and I'm still scraping only a thin crust so far.

But if there is anything I've learned, then, it is this: intelligence is not measured by the answers we know, but by the questions we ask.

Comments

MoClippa said…
As a self-acknowledged frequent ranter I'd say you should have pointed out the falasies in his argument... otherwise he'd never educate his rant! I love it when people reinform me, because then I get the oppurtunity to find out more about whatever it is I'm talking about!

I mean we all have our own opinions, but our knowledge is limited. Some people like to express opinions more vocally then others. If you know something he/she doesn't, or think he/she's wrong, then you should point it out.
Ashish Gorde said…
Actually I did, and it didn't help matters one bit... he insisted he was right, and kept interrupting me when I was trying to say something.
Doorete naa shobhite moorkha- as the sanskrit adage goes... Its true, people love hearing the sounds of their own voices.
Um Naief said…
There are some that you can't argue a point w/, no matter what. It's an endless approach to nothingness.
Pragya said…
It is extremely hard to reason with unreason. I seriously doubt it ever helps to "talk things out" - a piece of cliched advice one often encounters.

Pragya

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