A friend of mine and I met for coffee. We talked about ideas — some controversial, some not. My friend asked me, “David, at what point do you outright reject ideas because they’re wrong?”
I try not to outright reject ideas. Instead, I try to consider both sides of an argument. My values may lean me towards one side over another; but I know that my values are not necessarily the values of others.
Musicians are encouraged to record themselves play. We always sound worse on the recording than we do in our heads —- most of us. Why do we record? Because the recording gives us perspective that we can’t easily consider — what someone else hears. Considering the contrarian side of an idea is no different.
