"He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave."
-- Sir William Drummond
.......I perfectly agree.
I feel that it is the gift of reasoning, more than anything else, that distinguishes humans from other animals. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if I had to judge the quality of a person on a criteria of my choice, I would solely go upon his reasoning ability.
There's very little to be said about those who cannot argue; simply because they cannot help themselves. You cannot blame a lame man if he cannot walk. But what I find extremely troublesome about these people is that they like to perpetuate the myth that arguing or reasoning is wrong. Unfortunately, they're successful to some extent. And most unfortunate that these people cannot teach their children anything better. Their reasoning ability is nipped before it has a chance to flower.
Those who will not argue are not a less smellier kettle of fish. Not so irksome, perhaps, but one cannot expect anything but a stubborn silence in return for any efforts to involve them in a discussion. Sometimes one might hear a grunt or some such sound but nothing more. Their ideas are fixed and nothing will change them, least of all some good hard reason. And it might really be better this way, because if these people were actually driven to open their mouths, you would wonder if they had lost use of their ears !
As for those who dare not argue; I haven't yet encountered this species, though I admit I feel pity for them. Imagine having eyes and yet having to live blindfolded; it cannot be easy.
I'm thankful that I do not fall under any of these brackets. If there is something I thank God for, more than anything else, it is this very gift of reason, which has always stood me in good stead. And if there is something I fear most, it is the thought that someday I might lose it......
posted by Sylvia D'souza at 6:46 pm
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