To Agree Or Disagree, That Is The Question?

People older and younger can attest that we can't stand mess, foolery, and drama. We live in a society and time when things are moving at a fast pace everyday. When unnecessary mess occurs in your life, it slows you down, distracts you, hinders you, and takes up space in your thoughts. The plans you once had are now nullified because you get caught up with middle school age minded people who can't be adults about things. You know, healthy conversation. Excuse me as I go on a tangent. Within the past 5 years, I've dealt with more crap from people than u should have to. Arguments about nothing, misunderstandings, and rushes to judgment. It's like on "White Men Can't Jump", people I try to hold a conversation with are just "hearing" and not "listening." It's ridiculous. Oh what about those people who try to correct every time you say something that's contrary to how they think or believe? Someone at a music shop (who just met me) was coming at my neck for something I said that's a common saying where I'm from (n---a, one of my favorite words, thanks Aunt Edna for those funny moments with you and Uncle Jimmy God rest his soul). I was like dude, what the hell is your problem? Why can't we talk and not you coming at my neck about stuff I already know about our storied history in America. Gee wiz, Batman!!!! I didn't blow up because I understood where he was at mentally. He's just a lackey, a boy in a man's body at 30 something years old taking orders from his puppet-master (pastor/spiritual leader). And one thing I learned about him within 7 minutes is that he believes that if someone doesn't agree with him on anything, he has to become as a pestering insect until that person breaks down to agree with him. I know, I used to be one (without the crap from a pastor, still a debater, especially when it comes to how much the Cowboys suck and music). I've said all that to ask a question, "To Agree or Disagree?" The American society is filled with competition, various ideologies, belief systems, and various trains of thought. But there's something that's been lurking for the past few decades, conformity and the degradation of individuality. I've been reading this book called "Black Gods of The Metropolis" by Albert Faucett and it's pretty good. One thing I learned is that in different groups of society, agreement is like God and if you don't agree or comply with everything said or done around you, you're out. You're considered a heathen, troublemaker, a rebel. We see this in the workplace, school, sororities, clubs, religious organizations, and gangs. People that don't agree are shunned and their opportunities for success in whatever goal they are set on become slim. It's a sad thing that happens. This is the type of thing people lose friends and family over. My thing is, it's good "to agree to disagree." Why not? Why must we agree on everything? The reason why my marriage is still running is from my wife and I disagreeing on a lot of things. However, we've learned to agree to disagree on many things and through this, we grow into better people individually and as a married couple. Look at different organizations like Apple and Ford, each experiencing various problems and "scandals" in recent times but still are successful in their perspective industries because they believe in the "agree to disagree doctrine." When we agree within everything, we're setting ourselves up for failure. We won't know how to handle ourselves in conflicts (some of us play the "hiding game" when they happen). We never get promoted and if we do, we lose the respect of those in the workplace. Disagreements are necessary, differences are a part of life. Get used to it. Within recent months, people have disagreed with many of my blogs and I've disagreed with other people's thoughts. However, when the smoke clears, we've got to agree to disagree. That's life. Deal with it.

Til next time, The Agreeing to Disagree Overton.