Are We More Alike or Different?

[sk8knight]

With all of the divisiveness going on in society today, I've held the theory for a while that Americans are far more alike than we are different, no matter to which group we belong. It's hard to tell on social media as people are becoming more and more militantly divisive, but I think it still holds true. So I wanted to ask those of us that are united by an interest in UCF a question that might help test my theory:

What would you say are your values? Please answer with a specific set of values, not "the Ten Commandments" or "Judeo-Christian" or anything like that. Also, please refrain from attacking other posters' values. Let's try to have a good, respectful, discussion.

To start, here are some that I've tried to live by:

- Try not to judge people based on hearsay, make your own judgements on your experience with them
- Honor your commitments even if you don't want to
- Be neighborly, civic-minded, and charitable.
- Be respectful of authority.
- Get married before you have children and strive to stay married for their sake.
- Get the education you need for gainful employment and work hard. Go the extra mile for your employer or client.
- Make choices that leave you with a clean conscience. That way you don't have to be weighed down by dread and regret.
- Try to be honest in everything, even when it's hard.
- Accept when you do wrong and make amends.
- Understand that bad things will happen to good people.

 

[UCFWayne]

spoken like a true bigot.*

but seriously i try to live my life based off of respect. respect for myself and respect for others.

 

[cnsaguy]

Let's try to have a good, respectful, discussion.

LOL

 

[bqknight]

To start, here are some that I've tried to live by:

- Try not to judge people based on hearsay, make your own judgements on your experience with them
- Honor your commitments even if you don't want to
- Be neighborly, civic-minded, and charitable.
- Be respectful of authority.
- Get married before you have children and strive to stay married for their sake.
- Get the education you need for gainful employment and work hard. Go the extra mile for your employer or client.
- Make choices that leave you with a clean conscience. That way you don't have to be weighed down by dread and regret.
- Try to be honest in everything, even when it's hard.
- Accept when you do wrong and make amends.
- Understand that bad things will happen to good people.

Your list is pretty close to mine, except the get married thing.

I'd also add:

- Try not to sweat the small stuff.
- Enjoy your life, you only get one.
- Everything happens for a reason, whether you know that reason or not.

 

[fried-chicken]

We've been weaponized against each other by those with the most to gain.

Think about me and 85:
There is no other explanation on why we disagree on almost every topic other than the fact that we're both being convinced what is right by a different side. If republicans said they wanted to put man on the moon again my news feed would be filled with people complaining about the cost and his would be filled with people saying America kicks ass let's go back to the moon. If Nancy Pelosi or whoever said it the feeds would be reversed.

The fact is, we're doomed. It's obvious what's going on but no one is willing to stop the process.

 

[Knight_Classes_begin_7pm]

Depends upon if you watch Faux news or not. They really do brainwash people and spirt the republican agenda. Greed, not using science, no empathy.

 

[UCFBS]

We are all alike.
But we let the US media think we're not.

 

[UCFBS]

Depends upon if you watch Faux news or not. They really do brainwash people and spirt the republican agenda. Greed, not using science, no empathy.

And MSNBC doesn't?
And when people say 'science,' I find a lot of people don't understand what they say either.

 

[sk8knight]

Depends upon if you watch Faux news or not. They really do brainwash people and spirt the republican agenda. Greed, not using science, no empathy.

The thing is, the same could be said of MSNBC and to a lesser extent CNN with the Democrat agenda. They’re 2 sides of the same coin. Take them out of the equation and ask if your core values are truly that far away from mine, or 85s, or Wayne’s?

 

[BG_Knightmare]

There's too much opinion in cable news and most people have trouble deciphering between what is opinion and what is actual news because the lines have been blurred to such a degree. Imo this began with the dissolution of the Fairness Doctrine by the FCC and was exacerbated by the ratings generated by sensationalized media reporting.

I do think though that your list is fair. On another note in anonymous internet forums it's easy to forget that in the other end of the computer there is an actual human with real life emotions and feelings. That alone makes it easy to dehumanize people and their opinions if you never actually need to see them face to face.

Most of the worse things people say to each other through the internet I would be stunned to ever hear said in a face to face interaction. There are exceptions with truly vile people, however I generally try to keep that as a rule if you wouldn't say it to someone in person maybe think twice before you say it.

 

[Crazyhole]

With all of the divisiveness going on in society today, I've held the theory for a while that Americans are far more alike than we are different, no matter to which group we belong. It's hard to tell on social media as people are becoming more and more militantly divisive, but I think it still holds true. So I wanted to ask those of us that are united by an interest in UCF a question that might help test my theory:

What would you say are your values? Please answer with a specific set of values, not "the Ten Commandments" or "Judeo-Christian" or anything like that. Also, please refrain from attacking other posters' values. Let's try to have a good, respectful, discussion.

To start, here are some that I've tried to live by:

- Try not to judge people based on hearsay, make your own judgements on your experience with them
- Honor your commitments even if you don't want to
- Be neighborly, civic-minded, and charitable.
- Be respectful of authority.
- Get married before you have children and strive to stay married for their sake.
- Get the education you need for gainful employment and work hard. Go the extra mile for your employer or client.
- Make choices that leave you with a clean conscience. That way you don't have to be weighed down by dread and regret.
- Try to be honest in everything, even when it's hard.
- Accept when you do wrong and make amends.
- Understand that bad things will happen to good people.

Excellent post and a great discussion. I would agree with every one of your values and just add 1, which you pretty much touched on: Be penitent, to both God and others. If we admit to our faults and ask for forgiveness we can accept grace. If not, we are just going to be alone.

 

[bluechip12]

We are all alike.
But we let the US media think we're not.

I’m not sure about that. For example, I believe if I met you, we’d have very little in common.

 

[Sir Galahad]

Having raised two young men I thinks is pretty simple.
I feel both young men are very good people but complete opposites in terms of personalities. Below are just some of the major things I’ve tried to teach them:


Ethics is a rare thing today, be ethical and you will succeed no matter what path you take.
Don’t compare yourself to anyone, no two people are alike.
Be yourself
Don’t worry what anyone thinks about you as long as you’re doing it right.
Be kind on the way up, you will need those people on your way down.
Respect is earned, not given.
Treat others as you want to be treated.
Just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean you’re right.
Not everyone will agree with you, it doesn’t make them wrong.
Never think you had it harder than anyone else.
Life isn’t fair
You will only have a few really close friends in your life, cherish them.
Never go to bed mad at your parents, siblings or children, tomorrow may be to late to say I’m sorry.

 

[UCFKnight85]

Depends upon if you watch Faux news or not. They really do brainwash people and spirt the republican agenda. Greed, not using science, no empathy.

Hey look at my shocked face- a thread about civility and this moron posts something like this.

At least you didn’t whip out “retard” to insult someone again.

 

[goodknightfl]

We've been weaponized against each other by those with the most to gain.



The fact is, we're doomed. It's obvious what's going on but no one is willing to stop the process.

WE ARE DOOMED!!

 

[sk8knight]

I’m not sure about that. For example, I believe if I met you, we’d have very little in common.

I would bet that you have more in common than you would think. I’m all for celebrating “diversity” but one negative side effect is that it has focused us on our differences. Being the Americans that we all are, we ran with that and took it to the nth degree. Now it seems like differences are all we see.

Can we be united by our differences? Or by our commonalities?