Saturday, December 20, 2008

Devil's advocate and feigned opinions

I have a nearly insatiable need to understand things. I can get into tight spots because of this. But the desire has also led me to learn a whole slue of things (often the trivia which comes in handy at our family dinners). I've often felt that if I could understand the minutia/facts of an event, I could understand the reasons why it happened. This has, at times, led me to the Devil's advocate in conversations. I've tried to rein that one in.
Anyway, anyone who knows me at all, knows that I love talking and having conversations. I'm horrific at small talk, but anything deeper can keep me going for hours. I often portray ideas as my fixed opinions, which is a problem, I know. But what I'm really trying to do is throw out ideas to learn more about life.
I guess I'm too abrupt. Anyone got any ideas about how I could throw out ideas without making them seem like my set-in-stone opinions?

Maybe this all stems from my paranoia about being cocky and a know-it-all. (shoulder shrug)

6 comments:

Lydia and Josh said...

I totally do the same thing. I still haven't figured out how to sound less set in the opinions I'm offering.

Sahara said...

Don't you have horns being mormon and all? That would explain being the Devil's advocate. I'm just kidding. I love conversing with you! :) (slue? slew?)

M said...

Yeah, ditto. My in-laws think I'm a crazy liberal. Maybe I am...

rantipoler said...

Hmmm, I dunno. I think it would be much more of a problem if you weren't right so dang much. Or if you were a raving lunatic with a bunch of disconnected wild ideas. Doesn't bother me.

Vanessa Swenson said...

Lydia & Em: I'm glad I'm not alone.

Wendy: It's genetic: you can't escape them either. And slue is an alternate spelling of slew. I was curious and looked it up a while back.

A-L: Ack! No! No ego building! It's big enough!

Marie said...

That sounds like a "TP" to me.