It is my belief that both high schools and universities do not prepare their students for the real world in terms of emotional intelligence and real diplomacy.
Real diplomacy goes far beyond smiling and pretending to agree with everything your classmates say while using platitudes, but rather it is the ability to partly agree or disagree with your classmate on a wide range of delicate issues while simultaneously explaining your views in detail and with references to back up your opinions.
I think it is fundamental to have your own views about life challenged, regardless of what they may be i.e. politically correct or politically incorrect, as the very notion of such stances are often subjective.
People who wish to surround themsleves with likeminded people (yes-men) who agree with all their opinions are either suffering from a mild case of narcissism or in more extreme cases such as company managers or even world leaders, end up becoming dictatorial, by eliminating the very freedom of speech which they pretend to uphold.
Expressing your opinions openly and honestly requires social bravery as you run the risk of not being liked by everyone.
Society and social networks have become places in which causing offence with your opinions is regarded as an equal offence to the hypothetical act being discussed; this mainly occurs as the average person has not developed in school the ability of «critical thinking» so as to identify and anylize the nuances of other people’s opinions which may differ to that of their own.
A lot of educational time is spent on learning facts and figures but not enough importance is placed on interpersonal skills.
A lack of emotional intelligence causes the person to struggle to articulate their opinions, leading to either stonewalling the other person or using outrage and indignation as a way of avoiding the topic all together.
Unfortunately in our current polically correct society we have gone full circle and thus back to the same starting point of intolerance.
If you wish to speak out and express your opinions on a wide range of both taboo and generic topics, then I look forward to debating with you in class.
