Information and comments on the essay:
About “Chum for Thought”
From the book: Chum for Thought: Throwing Ideas into Dangerous Waters by David Satterlee
Read or download this essay as a PDF file at:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4eNv8KtePyKWm9kX09sOEYxeEU/edit?usp=sharing
Why we need to talk, think, work, together to understand
others, get along.
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Chum For Thought:
Throwing Ideas into Dangerous Waters |
This essay was the first
installment of my newspaper column “@ChumForThought,” published in the Dayton
Review. The series was intended for my neighbors in a small, rural, Iowa
town. I hoped to encourage conservatives to think about their ideas and
liberals to come out of the closet.
“Chum” is the word for chopped fish waste that is thrown
overboard to attract other fish – especially sharks.
I believe that comparing ideas can be a force for good that
attracts us to each other. Strangers often become friends as they talk and work
together, uniting to solve mutual problems.
Many people like to avoid controversy like they would avoid
swimming with sharks. You hear friends say “let’s talk about anything but
politics and religion.” That’s completely understandable. And, if a friend
tells me that, I’ll be the first one to back off and respect his or her need
for comfort without confrontation or fear.
However, as Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so
one man sharpens another.” I think it is good to compare notes and discuss
ideas. We make both ourselves and our companion better for the time we spend
trying to understand each other.
We become enemies if we withdraw and refuse to talk,
empathize, think, or compromise. People who can’t talk together become
suspicious and divided. They become fearful and hateful. They often resort to
combat to resolve their differences. Unthinking alienation is not the path to
peace, security, and brotherhood.
The ability to communicate about issues, including our
values, is what draws us together as friends, families, and communities. When
we can communicate, we can work together to solve problems. We can unite for
common goals and for our common good.
I believe that we become better people when we choose to
compare and discuss ideas. It can useful to know what is going on and
discuss events. But, it is often pointed out that gossip, by only
discussing people, can be damaging. Coming together about ideas is best.
This column will focus on the practical side of practicing
“peace on earth and goodwill toward men.” I hope that you will find it to be
encouraging and thought provoking… chum for thought.
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