EFA_diario #4: Intellectual Self-Defense
Thursday August 22, 2019. Today is my 9th day at the European Forum Alpbach. So far, I have engaged in conversations with interesting people from all over the world, I have stepped out of my comfort zone in a multitude of ways and I have had a lot less sleep than I do when I am on a regular schedule.
A major part of the Forum Alpbach is the seminar week. It is composed ofintellectual seminars in the mornings and practical seminars in the afternoon.
For the morning seminar I opted for “Intellectual Self-Defense”. Why so? I have a bit of a weakness when it comes to discussion: I consider myself as impulsive in some situations, not considerate enough of the other person in others, and maybe sometimes even a bit gullible or easily manipulable. The seminar was held by the author and recipient of numerous literary awards Ilija Trojanow.
Even though shortcuts only lead to devaluation, I had to narrow down thecontent of the seminar in order that you, as a reader, can improve your own intellectualself-defense. These tips were given by the author and some insights came upduring the discussion. I divided them into three categories.
When writing or discussing, never use “we”in an argument, when you don’t really know who you are referring to. There isseldom a homogenous “we”. What is more, challenging the detail instead of thestructure of the opponent’s argument can be of advantage. Be curious, askquestions and listen. Try not to get carried away emotionally. Indignation willonly narrow your potential. Instead, try humor, a rhetoric approach orlight-heartedness.
When reading articles, some veryalarming signals of untrustworthiness are: only one view is portrayed, the textis full of mistakes, one example appears to represent the whole reality, thetext offers simple solutions for complex problems and/or it is directed to youremotions. To counter this, one should read multiple articles about the topicand exchange ideas with other people. Even if you might not agree with what thearticle says, remember that “when you read something it is not about what youread, but rather about how you read it”.
Generally speaking, in order to evolveone’s own intellectual self-defense, one should not try to stick to what isconvenient. Venture out in the world. Have conversations with people that donot think the same way as you. Being comfortable is not a good thing, because itdoes not lead to growth. Get lost. Think utopian but settle for compromise. Andfinally: speak up about what you have learned on your journey.
Now my 9th day at the European Forum Alpbach is coming to an end. I wish for my second week in Alpbach to be just as challenging and insightful at it has been thus far. I hope to engage in a lot of conversations, the more uncomfortable the better, so that I can apply what I have just learned. When I pack my things, I am sure that I will not only be taking home dirty clothes but also kilos of new knowledge, tons of experience and a smile on my face.
