Fence sitter?

I very much value listening above talking – Could that be perceived as fence-sitting?

Photo of Mia the cat fence-sitting

Many years ago someone close to me called me a fence-sitter and I remember feeling appalled, fence-sitter sounded like a lazy position. I have thoughts and opinions and am happy to share them, but I think I have always been receptive to hearing all sides of an argument/concept/theory/discussion. While I certainly have my moments of over exited/enthusiastic chatting, I very much value listening above talking – I guess this is what looked like fence-sitting.

Fence-sitting: a state of indecision or neutrality with respect to conflicting positions
- www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fence-sitting

I see and hear ignorance and arrogance everywhere, the media – social and otherwise, the street, casual conversation. Ignorance is ok if it progresses to education, my frustration is when one-sided ‘facts’ are quoted (often with emotional conviction) with a very open mouth and closed ears.

My Facebook feed reminded me this week that it has been 8-years since the public rallies advocating for marriage equality, at that time there were many ignorant (and hurtful), one-sided ‘facts’ touted by people who thought that their opinion was the only one. Now here we are heading towards The Voice referendum and once again there are many ignorant (and I imagine hurtful), one-sided ‘facts’ touted by people who think that their opinion is the only one. I encourage everyone to do a little ‘fence-sitting’ and listen well.

I was recently reminded of a quote from The Gilded Age (Paramount), the character Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski); said, ‘I am not concerned with facts if they interfere with my beliefs,’ the character Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson) replied ‘and I bring you the definition of prejudice.’

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