As I was browsing the wider fediverse today this came to my mind: Don’t appear too confident with your opinions. It leaves no room for others voice. This might not apply to internet, but in face-to-face it has been good.

People are more open to discuss and reason their thoughts. They are also more open to hear and see your reasons fairly. Discussion tends to lead to more understanding and promotes respect. It also leads a way to both parties to be closer the truth of matter discussed.

Listening to other options even in controversial strongly felt topics has helped me in adjusting my opinions. Often my opinion is strengthened, but with important insight and understanding of different reasoning. Sometimes I’ve had to abandon my previous assumption based on new information. And that is good.

Horde mentality and confrontional minds are poison to this and I don’t know if there’s any single right solution to these. But I believe striving for this is still the way to go.

TL;DR: appear and discuss at same level if possible