We Don’t Have To Fight Every Battle

There are times when walking away is the best form of violence. Just because someone is committed to escalating a situation doesn’t mean you have to. Nothing infuriates a person looking for a fight more than a non-combative opponent. Walking away isn’t just the best decision you can make, it’s also the most condescending. You don’t owe people your time or emotional energy.

I am a prisoner to the need to have the last word. To me, demonstrably proving a point is akin to an athlete winning the game in the last seconds of play. I live to engage a good argument, but I’m slowly learning every argument can’t be won with logic, empirical data, or even hard evidence. When faced with this reality I force myself to fight my inner desires and walk away. Why waste time constructing arguments that won’t be considered?

bell hooks reminds us we have the choice of not getting into the ring. This aphorism is a formulation she attributes to her Buddhist faith. There are fights worth having. When you are confronted with them, fight like hell. Knowledge will help you win an argument, but wisdom will keep you from participating in frivolous confrontations.

If you have your heart set on fighting, make sure it’s for a worthy cause. Arguing for the sake of being right is folly. Sometimes we prove more with 0 words than we could with 10,000. Ultimately, having peace in your spirit is more valuable than imaginary victories in your mind.