Agree to Disagree

"We agree to disagree with each other." How many people do you find with this attitude? Atleast I am not lucky in this respect, I admit.

This is one thought am dwelling upon these days. I have observed people from different strata of society and found this as common - their unwillingness to experiment with disagreement. It is very easy to agree with someone but to disagree, you not only need conviction in your beliefs but also a healthy respect for every other beliefs, however diverging those can be from the ones u hold dear.

I have found myself disagreeing with people on the disagreement issue lately. Somehow, I find this limitation for our own intellectual growth and when I tell it to people, they get offended. We take everything so personally. If I tell someone I do not appreciate some part of a movie and am perfectly OK if someone else finds it awesomely awesome, I am considered as a person who has challenged some kind of collective wits. I really don't know what the fuss is all about. I very well am entitled to have my own opinions and am willing to agree for a disagreement. Then why do people consider it a case of treading out of the line.

They do accept your disagreement under two conditions : 1. U are in an authoritative position and they can not AFFORD to disagree with u (this is an assumption they have). 2. They just do not want to get on ur wrong side ( you are perceived as a fierce person). 3. They do not have the time or energy to pursue the disagreement ( I know this is the 3rd one even when I mentioned there are only two conditions. So what!! Live with it :) )

Belonging to a culture which is very adaptive, coming from Indian, this resistance is somewhat surprising for me. Well, I can attribute our innate sense to agree mostly to our non-conflicting attitude. But then what might be the reason for being so defensive or possessive against non-confirmation? Aren't we being the opposite of what we set out to achieve in the very first place? I find this a paradox which is so very evident yet, unchallenged. And yeah am getting a kick out of challenging it :) .. me the restless soul :).. me the rebel :).