Contra+versus
ConTROversy says the American, CONtroversy the British. I do not even know how to pronounce it. I say controversia in Spanish and the French would say controverse. It sounds different in different languages but the negative connotation stays. Why? Is controversy bad?
I would like to be more controversial myself. I think controversy is good and I am going to tell you why. Maybe some of you would like to join my way of thinking.
It is not the best personality feature though. It is controversial to be controversial. Society rewards compliance with the norm and people who agree with the majority, instead it penalizes and isolates those who are controversial. Curious about this subject and my sudden wish to become the new Michael Moore, I decided to investigate more and I found that some people suffer from controversial personality disorder, meaning a permanent attitude of negative patterns.
This is not the kind of controversial 21st century citizen I was thinking of becoming though. I was thinking about controversially being a lesbian or a gay if I want to, about controversially having sex before my wedding or having the controversial right to die if I am in a wheelchair paralyzed. I think we have to put controversial thought
s at the service of good causes.
This is the kind of controversy that I am interested in. Change starts with disagreement, arguments, opposition and resistance. People like you and me decided once to disagree with the majority and think differently. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, to name a few. I would dare to say that more advanced and democratic societies are more controversial. Dictatorships do not allow for disagreement, Stalin or Milosevic they killed dissent.
I think controversy can be a source for innovation too, I am pleased when I hear the press say that a politician, an actress or a researcher is controversial: that means they thought, acted or investigated out of the box in which you and I live.
Probably I only convinced a few of you to think controversially but next time you hear that nicely sounding word you will think twice and smile. Controversy is a driver for change. Use it.
I would like to be more controversial myself. I think controversy is good and I am going to tell you why. Maybe some of you would like to join my way of thinking.
It is not the best personality feature though. It is controversial to be controversial. Society rewards compliance with the norm and people who agree with the majority, instead it penalizes and isolates those who are controversial. Curious about this subject and my sudden wish to become the new Michael Moore, I decided to investigate more and I found that some people suffer from controversial personality disorder, meaning a permanent attitude of negative patterns.
This is not the kind of controversial 21st century citizen I was thinking of becoming though. I was thinking about controversially being a lesbian or a gay if I want to, about controversially having sex before my wedding or having the controversial right to die if I am in a wheelchair paralyzed. I think we have to put controversial thought
s at the service of good causes.
This is the kind of controversy that I am interested in. Change starts with disagreement, arguments, opposition and resistance. People like you and me decided once to disagree with the majority and think differently. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, to name a few. I would dare to say that more advanced and democratic societies are more controversial. Dictatorships do not allow for disagreement, Stalin or Milosevic they killed dissent.
I think controversy can be a source for innovation too, I am pleased when I hear the press say that a politician, an actress or a researcher is controversial: that means they thought, acted or investigated out of the box in which you and I live.
Probably I only convinced a few of you to think controversially but next time you hear that nicely sounding word you will think twice and smile. Controversy is a driver for change. Use it.
Comments
Although i should try to m ake an effort to be more contraversial than this..