All arguments are the same, right?

  These shorts are written as practices in writing and all are unedited and are not proofread. 

Colour is the only thing we really need to look at, as there are several things about this world that may seem black or white when every issue and facet has a rainbow of ways to view them. Often the most people can understand are the issues that are directly opposed to them, this causes issues when new opinions are created or introduced.

Take for example the simplest of issues that you may think of, pineapple on a pizza. Most would say that this is something atrocious, in fact, the US and the online community that they have would have you believe that there are only two sides to this issue. Pineapple is bad or it is good.

When you may be shocked to find that there are several opinions that these two groups of people choose to ignore. In fact, many categorize the different opinions into their own or the opposite group, to vilify what they believe to be the wrong view. 

We must elaborate upon this, first by introducing the viewpoint and understanding that even in the US it is believed that Italy and Italians make the greatest pizza and pasta. With the vain belief that those who invented something is automatically the best. However, the reality is that most Italians do not care about pineapple on pizza, with many saying that it may indeed work when done properly. 

And here we get the first split within the split because pineapple lovers would gladly claim this for their win whereas pineapple haters would claim this is either wrong or shift to say all of Italy is wrong. When this is a third viewpoint, largely put we can say the Italians are a third group, a group that thinks it may work and does not see it as sacrilege. 

Upon this, we need to expand further, that the type of pizza determines whether the addition of pineapple would work. In South Africa, the traditional Hawaiian pizza must have pineapple on it, and I daresay it is the standard pizza that everyone accepts. In fact, I can barely remember anyone specifically caring whether a pizza has pineapple or not, just that we are pleased to have pizza. 

Now we have our fourth group, because Italians may find it interesting, South Africans find it entirely normal, and the split in America is still that it’s either sacrilege or it’s heavenly good. You see, the issue is not the pineapple, but that those who are arguing about it seem unable to consider the fact their view is one of the multiple facets, the argument is not black or white. 

As many memes would like to say, “It’s either you hate pineapple on pizza, or you are wrong” when in reality this very argument shows a limitation imposed upon oneself. A limitation that causes your entire worldview to become so narrow that it becomes impossible to enjoy life around you, as you see an argument in everything around you. 

The reality of the argument, for Pineapple on Pizza, is quite simple, it works when artfully combined with ham and bacon, with a few other ingredients. But you would not eat pineapple and avocado on the same slice of pizza much as you would not eat a slice of cake with ketchup on it. The idea may seem intriguing at first but will ultimately leave a taste and texture that conflicts. 

As we continue to move through our argument, that black-and-white arguments do not exist, we must also consider those who love to argue. It is often those of intellectual prowess that love to argue, not for a feeling of superiority but because they value opposite views. However, this behaviour is often mimicked by those that do not understand this basic need. 

We can see this on the daily across the internet, with arguments being made by people that do not want to hear the opposite of their opinion. The mere addition of an argument that they have not heard or thought of causes a domino effect of strawmen arguments that ultimately turns into a digital shouting match of some amusement. 

You have not enjoyed the internet until you have seen a grown man lose control over the argument of what is better, World of Warcraft or all of Dungeons and Dragons. The mere suggestion in these arguments that neither of these two platforms is amazing or that both are equally amazing would cause dysfunction. Yet it is always amusing to suggest that Harry Potter has a larger world. 

Now, I can only imagine that your thoughts are either “What the hell is that?” or “That is just absurd!”. The statement made at the end is purely to garner rage, and as we now call it, trolling, trying to bait out a reaction from someone that is unable to control their rage. 

Indeed, just the mere existence of internet ‘trolls’ is a sign that things are not black and white. But also, a sign that arguing for the sake of arguing has become something that more than just those who are educated do to expand their views. Instead, it has become something often done by people unwilling to accept either side of an argument. 

As we keep going through the myriad of reasons there are more than just black-and-white arguments and why arguing is something that should expand your views, we need to mention the oft-forgotten. Those who simply read what is suggested and then repeat that without a thought of doubt. Call them what you may, these are the people that often spread rumours. 

We need to accept that in this digital world, things have become hazardous, rumours, consumers, arguers, and even just information givers create perfect storms. Think for a moment about what would happen if you posted a video of a hawk snatching a child. Those in the know would laugh and say that’s funny, some would be confused but ignore it as nothing but a video online. 

Then there are the believers, the ones that spread rumours, the ones that share blindly without a thought of what could be. These are the people that anxiously tell friends at parties, and people at parks, “Your child is in danger, watch out for the hawk!”. The problem often is not that they spread the rumour, in fact, that can help an artist gain popularity and fame. 

No, the issue is that once confronted in the real world, outside of the internet, these people are impossible to argue with. For they accept that which they read online, no matter the source, and they also blindly accept that which they see in videos as irrefutable truth. If you have had the distinct displeasure of having to argue with them, here is some advice. 

Do not shout at them, do not argue with them, and don’t insist that you are right, for they will not accept the words of even the hawk that it would not eat a child. Instead, simply send them a link, to their phone or email, that disproves the video. For the age-old saying is, “Don’t believe everything you see on the internet”, which sadly needs to be revised. 

As the internet has permeated every facet of our lives it has become a saying “I believe nothing you say, but everything the internet tells me!”. The only way it seems to fight these arguments is to use the internet, rumours, lies, fibs, and everything else now need to be disproved by random writers and content creators. 

For it is more believable to some that a man on the other side of the world knows everything about you and what will work for you. So, you may wonder what all this rambling, jumbling, mixture of words has to do with things not being black or white. 

It is simple, there is no point, I have not had someone to argue these points with in a while, and I find that writing them down helps me think. I would, however, recommend that you start accepting more views on problems that you have before. Sometimes you may think you know everything there is to know about a problem when the reality of the situation is that you have barely scratched the surface of what may be an issue with more colours, facets, and sides than anyone could imagine. 

At least I know one thing, I could really go for a good, cheesy, bacon-filled, pineapple-covered, pizza.