I’ve got into trouble for my argumentative reactions to the statements of others. I might say “nonsense!” or “no, that’s not the way things are at all,” and then I’m criticized for my arrogance. Apparently I should have said “my humble opinion is – and you don’t have to believe it, because it’s just my humble opinion, I mean, what do I know really? and I don’t really like disagreeing with people, but I just want to say – and remember, I’m really not trying to force my opinions down your throat…etc” followed by concluding remarks such as “but that’s just my opinion, nobody is right or wrong here, it’s all just opinions, there’s no such thing as truth, I’m probably talking rubbish…”

In my more unguarded, undignified moments I might be tempted to say that I’ve fucking had it up to here with this shite. There is a timid fear of offending others, as if people are nothing but fragile victims of unwelcome outside influences with no power to fight back. That, to me, is disrespectful. There’s also a presumption that if I attack an idea you subscribe to, I am also attacking you. In response, I often say that if I didn’t respect your opinions and find you interesting, I wouldn’t bother arguing.

And since when did we stop being rational beings who could make a case for something and try to defend it, without taking disagreement personally? I am partly made up of my ideas, but they are always open to change, so they do not define me.

It is superfluous to say “I think…” or “I believe…” or “In my personal opinion…” or “IMHO” instead of just coming out with “this is how it is,” because when someone claims something to be true they are stating a personal opinion anyway, whether they say they are or not. We know that’s what they’re doing, so why should we have to hear them saying so explicitly? Is it because there is a growing suspicion of strong opinions, and an automatic accusation of arrogance? If so – and if this is a widespread reaction to argument – then it threatens the idea that human beings can know the truth. If you state something and you’re not lying, it means that you believe it to be true. The idea so prevalent now, that there is no such thing as truth, or that we cannot know it, must lead to a refusal to state opinions or argue against those of others.

There’s an important point here, one that this timid culture seems to find unpalatable. It is that if you have an opinion, and therefore believe in the truth of a particular assertion, it means that you assume that you have seen the light of the truth, and that all those who hold contrary opinions remain in darkness. In a world in which we can’t say anything is better than anything else, this kind of thing makes people uncomfortable.

But it’s also important to remember that you can hold strong opinions, really believing that everyone else is wrong, and yet not wish to somehow impose those opinions on anyone, because there is always the chance that you may be wrong. It is only absolute certainty that leads to arrogance and thence to the wish to impose those ideas on others.

How does one impose an opinion on somebody? It is by means of oppression, imperialism, authoritarian rule, violence and intimidation. The truly arrogant feel no need to justify their ideas with an argument: they force you to submit to them.

A world in which people stop standing up for what they believe in is not one I want to live in, so I for one am happy to go on making people uncomfortable.

Image created by Photoshop genius - Las Tonterias -

A couple of years ago I saw Bill Oddie on his TV show “How to Watch Wildlife,” explaining how to attract squirrels. I was inspired by Bill’s amazingly successful technique: he just noisily rustled a paper bag full of nuts, and squirrels came to him from all around – came right up to him – and ate the nuts right out of his hand.

At the time it was important to me to make the most of my weekends, working as I was in a very stressful IT manager role, and I thought that squirrel-feeding/watching/stroking would be a perfect leisure activity. So one lovely summer day I went down to Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens, which I knew from previous sightings to be home to hundreds of the delightful bushy-tailed rodents.

I purchased a paper bag full of squirrel food, conveniently available at the Botanic Gardens shop, and then followed the procedure just as Bill had demonstrated. I found a suitable bench to sit on, underneath the great boughs of a venerable oak tree and in close proximity to several beech trees, pines, cedars, and one medium-sized bush. Perfect!

I quietly approached, sat down, and began to rustle. I didn’t want to make it too obvious, so I kept the bag in my pocket while I rustled it, and nonchalantly scanned my surroundings for signs of my quarry. I looked all around me, up in the branches of the trees, and in the nearby bush, but I couldn’t see even a hint of that unmistakable silhouette, nor could I hear any signs of mammalian life. A few pigeons nodded over in my direction but I wasn’t interested in them. I wasn’t there for the pigeons, was I?

After about five unproductive minutes I reckoned it was time to bring out the bag. After all, I reasoned, perhaps these squirrels hadn’t been conditioned, like those in Bill’s neighbourhood, to respond to just the sound of a paper bag. Perhaps they had to see it too. So I brought out the bag and held it aloft, so that there was no way any watching squirrels could miss it.

After another five squirrelless minutes I resorted to throwing the nuts on the ground. I’d been reluctant to take this last step, as it just seemed too easy. In any case, Bill hadn’t needed to do that.

Already I felt something of a failure.

Surrounded by nuts and pigeons I sat expectantly. Then hopefully. Then in bafflement. What was going on here? This place was squirrel-central and had been for as long as I’d been going there. All I wanted to do was feed them, some of the tamest squirrels in the land – squirrels that wouldn’t normally have any fear of humans. Why would they reject my advances like this? Was it something about me that was repulsing them?

I couldn’t understand it, and I don’t mind saying that I grew quite embarrassed, and then downright angry. Here I was, taking time out of my precious weekend to offer food to these creatures – and asking for nothing in return! Well I wasn’t going to be made a fool of any longer, so I stashed the bag of nuts back in my pocket, stood up and stormed off in the direction of the exit.

But then, as the path approached a large collection of rhododendrons, I saw a lone squirrel hopping about on the ground, apparently in search of food. The enthusiasm that I’d so recently lost suddenly returned to me, and I quietly crept towards it, taking the bag of nuts out of my pocket and rustling it in an enticing fashion. This was the moment I’d been waiting for, and it would be more special, more dramatic, because of what I’d gone through. I envisioned those blissful future moments, just me and my squirrel friend sharing nuts on the lush grass in the summer sunshine.

Then it noticed me, and looked me up and down for a few seconds. I upped my game, throwing a few nuts from the bag and speaking softly in encouraging tones, all the while growing nearer and nearer – to the squirrel, and to that fateful moment.

But, suddenly, it just turned and hopped away into the rhododendrons, without any panic or fear whatsoever. I chased after it, hoping against hope that it might eventually come round. I dived after it into the tangle of branches and struggled to follow, but it just scampered off into the darkness of the undergrowth, never to be seen again.

The anger welled up in me again, this time tinged with intense humiliation. I felt defeated – an utter failure. I tried to walk proudly away without a care, but I couldn’t do it: I just skulked, went home and crawled into bed, where I replayed the day’s events a thousand times.

Needless to say, ever since then I have hated squirrels.

Note: this story originally appeared in a Flickr group, Photographic Editing Offences.