I’d keep in mind that the nature of in-person discussion is also very different than written discussion.
Writing allows time for clever wording, pithy arguments and good information density. And when it’s occurring online, the discussion is spread across a wide base, so you can solicit more qualified participants.
Speech is messy! Everyone is having to spontaneously situate their own world view amongst others, with competing levels of understanding. We articulate ourselves poorly, we may hem and haw. This is normal. How people present themselves in person won’t always be the “best,” or most intellectually rigorous version of themselves.
When attempting spontaneous, deep conversations in person, it’s good to bring your own agenda—arguments that you want to refine, ideas you want to research—so that you can set the pace. Verbally articulating my ideas with just about anyone can improve the rigor of my thought. But you also have to be gentle and accommodating of the other participants, so that you are not steamrolling folks who haven’t thought about the subject as much as you. In conversation, it’s better to be an educator and an explorer and a friend, than it is to be a warrior or a winner.
Sofia mentioned in her reply that the philosophy group tends to focus on a new topic every week. This makes a lot of sense for a group of near-strangers attempting to broach a deep conversation every week. All participants can try to get on an even footing. Maybe the quality of the discourse averages out, so it’s not amazing, but I think approaching these things with kindness can still allow one to explore new ideas, refine one’s own, and meet a few special individuals who might become future sparring partners.
Hope that wasn’t too tangential to your post, I’d encourage you to continue exploring in-person communities that allow you to grow and refine your ideas!
I’d keep in mind that the nature of in-person discussion is also very different than written discussion.
Writing allows time for clever wording, pithy arguments and good information density. And when it’s occurring online, the discussion is spread across a wide base, so you can solicit more qualified participants.
Speech is messy! Everyone is having to spontaneously situate their own world view amongst others, with competing levels of understanding. We articulate ourselves poorly, we may hem and haw. This is normal. How people present themselves in person won’t always be the “best,” or most intellectually rigorous version of themselves.
When attempting spontaneous, deep conversations in person, it’s good to bring your own agenda—arguments that you want to refine, ideas you want to research—so that you can set the pace. Verbally articulating my ideas with just about anyone can improve the rigor of my thought. But you also have to be gentle and accommodating of the other participants, so that you are not steamrolling folks who haven’t thought about the subject as much as you. In conversation, it’s better to be an educator and an explorer and a friend, than it is to be a warrior or a winner.
Sofia mentioned in her reply that the philosophy group tends to focus on a new topic every week. This makes a lot of sense for a group of near-strangers attempting to broach a deep conversation every week. All participants can try to get on an even footing. Maybe the quality of the discourse averages out, so it’s not amazing, but I think approaching these things with kindness can still allow one to explore new ideas, refine one’s own, and meet a few special individuals who might become future sparring partners.
Hope that wasn’t too tangential to your post, I’d encourage you to continue exploring in-person communities that allow you to grow and refine your ideas!