Everyone has an opinion. Some are open to sharing whereas others hide behind their beliefs. A well-groomed person is able to stomach other peoples' opinions. Accept that it is just an opinion based on the input that a person has received and processed.
As my dad used to say, “There is no need to get your knickers in a twist!” meaning to deal with it, and not to get so uptight. Learn that the world is full of people with different beliefs. It isn’t the end of the world!
Conflict is an ugly word in my vocabulary. Different opinions are one thing, but losing your cool isn’t good for anyone. When another person insults your intelligence with rude accusations then it is time to think about moving on.
My friend of 40 years blocked me from Facebook, Skype, and WhatsApp because he loved Brazil’s previous president Jair Bolsonaro too much. When people get like that it confirms to me that fanaticism and going over the top is the attitude of an aggressive person who cannot blend into society.
The lesson here is to appreciate opinions and show gratitude for their friendship! The world would be a better place if people could stomach more while becoming more tolerant. If people can’t control their emotions, then the world will become an uglier place to live.
Not accepting other people’s sentiments is one thing whilst breaking relationships is another to deal with rivalry. However, fighting is ugly! Ultimately war usually involves other innocent victims.
Bolsonaro may have had good intentions. However, he was a conflict artist who seemed to enjoy outright confrontation to get his own way. Having a president with such a disruptive side didn’t help a struggling nation reduce its poverty status.
FGV Social published a study that says in 2021, 62.9 million Brazilians or 29.6% of the country's population had a monthly per capita income of up to R$497. In the space of two years, between 2019 and 2021, 9.6 million people saw their income drop and joined the group of Brazilians living in poverty.
May I suggest thinking twice before jumping on a leader’s bandwagon who looks for trouble.
Have a great day!
Pro. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Don’t get your knickers in a twist (idiom) = If someone is getting their knickers in a twist about something, they are getting annoyed or upset about it without good reason. [British, humorous, informal]
Uptight (adj) = tense, anxious, bothered, edgy, cross, uneasy, bad-tempered, neurotic, in a state, hot and bothered
Going over the top (idiom) = the idiomatic phrase "over the top" or "going over the top" is used to describe someone making an effort that is excessive or more than is required to accomplish a task. Sometimes the phrase is used to describe an action that is judged to be dramatic, foolhardy, or needlessly dangerous.
Bandwagon (n) = movement, cause, trend, craze, fashion, lobby
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