There is a tendency, among many of us, to not entertain discussions with people with opposing views. Typically, this happens when we are part of the consensus that says X is wrong and everybody should know and accept it. We must develop a habit of engaging and educating others.

People will always have differing views. It’s part of the reason change is so difficult. Even among those who are agreed on a matter there are differences. It’s part of the reason you can’t treat people who work on social justice and human rights as a monolithic group.

Few, if any of us, started at the place we’re now at on many of these topical/controversial issues. It took us some time to get where we are. For some of us, it took a long while. Lots of back and forth with people. Lots of reading. Sometimes, personal experiences.

What bothers me most is the way in which those persons who choose not to entertain discussions police others who have the patience and time and choose to engage in a back and forth with someone who doesn’t, for whatever reason, subscribe to the consensus.

Of course, all of us have to choose our battles and protect our space and mental health. I am not therefore saying people should endlessly engage in conversations they do not find productive. However, I think it is important that we see the importance of engaging others.

The funny thing is, quite often, when some of us have an opposing view on a subject matter, we expect that people will engage us and will see our standpoint even if to them, it doesn’t seem at all productive for them.

If you take LGBT issues, for example, those with differing views often want LGBT people/advocates to see where they are coming from, to entertain them being the devils advocate and such but don’t think it is necessary to do this when they take a certain position on other issues.

Similarly, on women’s issue, people express opposing views, even when their sentiments might be harmful and expect that you engage them to no end because their perspective matter.

I think we have to try to be a little bit more careful about how we shun people because we agree with them or support their position on a topic. If everyone disengage and turn their back, how do people learn? How do we learn? How do we address the problems we complain about?