Taking a stance

The most common situations I run into that require taking a positions is usually things like whether I thought a movie was good or bad, or if a singer was good or bad, maybe they have potential. Sometimes I'll be talking with friends and issues like religious beliefs, gay rights, or respect for other people will arise. In those situations, depending on who I am talking with, I try to keep my mouth shut because I know I don't agree with the other person and neither one of us is willing to give ground. There are instances, of course, where I do speak up, like most recently when a good friend of mine injured herself and I had to convince her that after eight weeks of pain, it was worth missing one class in order to go get a referral for physical therapy from her doctor.

How often people take a position on something really depends on the kind of day they're having. If they're anything like me, there will be many days when interactions with other people are scarce or don't consist of conversations in which I am a part. Most of my stance-taking recently comes from being in classes where the students have to exchange ideas on a subject. A few months ago, I would have had to take positions more frequently when trying to explain, describe, or deny things about living in the United States to my friends in France. There will always be minor choices in day to day life that will result in hardly earth shattering decisions. But being involved in situations that allow you to put in your two cents worth requires more interaction.