Pandora's Box
You have to ask yourself, "How much do I want to know about Brandon Michael Collinsworth?"
I don't know if this problem is unique to me or if I share it with many of you, but their is probably no one person that knows everything there is to know about me. I keep some thoughts and opinions not necessarily to myself, but away from certain people. And for those of you that plod ahead, please do not take this withholding of information personal, it is not. Maybe you were never let in on this opinion or aspect of my character because I wasn't in the mood to discuss it. Or maybe it was just simply because I knew, or thought I knew, that we would be in disagreement, and would probably never see eye to eye, and if there would be no way to make peace and compromise why bring it up. Also, maybe it was cowardice, some times even I am at a loss for words, and the hardest thing sometimes is beginning and could never get the first words out of my mouth.
But this blog will be my chance to get these things off of my chest and share them with you. It is bad and counter productive to keep things bottled up, and maybe I have been doing too much of that lately. But remember you have been warned. If you don't want to know what goes on behind these hazel eyes don't come back here. If you are worried that finding out more about me may hurt your opinion of me, maybe you should look away. Now, please don't mistake my intentions, I don't want it to sound as if I don't want anyone to read. Because I want everyone to read, otherwise why would I post it online. But I don't want to be attacked for what I think or believe, and I don't want to lose any friends over differences of opinions.
That being said I hope that each and everyone of you will be back to read my next post. I plan on keying off on something that I have kept bottled up to all but a few. So join me for the journey and open the box if you dare.
posted by Brandon Michael Collinsworth at 4:30 PM
1 Comments:
I'm looking forward to opening the box. I'm wondering if I'll be surprised by what I find in the box.
Your problem is not unique to you. I experience the same thing. I often withhold certain opinion of mine from you. I often withhold some of my opinions from others as well. Probably for the same reasons. Sometimes I’m not sure if I’m having an identity crisis, or if I am just inarticulate in verbal expression. Sometimes I can’t fully support my opinions; sometimes my opinions will anger others; sometimes my opinions are pretty outlandish and I’m scared of looking stupid; and sometimes I don’t even know what my opinion is.
Having a blog is a peculiar thing. Since I have friends and acquaintances from all walks of life (conservatives, liberals, unbelievers, believers, charismatics, Calvinists, Arminians, intellectuals, philistines, etc.), I can hedge my bets that either I will offend someone or someone will not agree with my assertions. That is why I am so gung ho on encouraging dialogue (or examination in Hughes terminology). Debate has been stifled in our southern culture, and I hate that. To question one’s thoughts is a major faux pas in this area. “Let’s not argue” is the mantra. The word “argue” carries too many negative connotations. "Let's reason together"--I like this mantra so much better.
I say all this to let you know that I look forward to your blog. Don’t worry, I won’t attack you for your beliefs; however, I may ask questions. I hope that you will choose to either defend your beliefs or shift your perspective instead of stifling debate. Of course, I know you (to some extent, at least), and you’re not the type to stifle a debate, you may get a little hot about things, but you’re not the closed-minded type.
You wrote,“It is bad and counter productive to keep things bottled up, and maybe I have been doing too much of that lately.” I think you’re right. The longer we keep things bottled up, the more we risk the chance of dipping our feet into hypocrisy or ignorance. When we do not share our opinions with others, we only allow others to get a false impression of us, making us appear as hypocrites when we act on what we truly believe but have not shared with others. As far as ignorance is concerned, the longer we keep things bottled up, the longer we may be holding on to screwy perspectives based on misinformation. As a blogger, you’ll be offering up your thoughts to the world (however large or small that may be) for, as I phrase it, digestion or regurgitation. I hate the fact that I have tons of opinions that have never been peer reviewed. I know that I sit on top of a mound of ignorance. That's where knowledge comes in, which is the result of debate, arguing, dialogue, or reasoning (choose the term that best suits you).
Back to your blog. It’s aggravating and time consuming trying to figure out how to do some of the cool features on the blogger.com. If you have trouble or don’t want to take the time, just let me know, and I’ll walk you through the process (the ones I have learned).
Pandora’s Box. Interesting title. Suggests that you are opening a box of evil—that you are full of evil things that you would like to get off your chest (our out of your chest). Or could it be supposed evil—things that you don’t view as evil, but others view as evil. Hmmmmm? I’m sure the puzzle will start to make more sense as you post. Once again, I am thrilled that you’ve joined the blogosphere. I can’t wait to start examining the apparatus (in this case—Mr. Collinsworth’s Pandora’s Box!).
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