he media needs for sales and ratings. Hearing two sides of an issue which then requires personal thought and reflection are usually more interesting than undisputed facts, so even factual information is spun to involve controversy. But this does not mean that human nature is becoming more obsessed with arguments. It is merely that the media exploits conflict. There are a plethora of examples of facts which dont warrant news coverage because they are not disputed. Generally, service to the community, which is at the forefront of importance to many people does not involve arguments. Random acts of kindness are typically viewed as just that. While it may be interesting to watch people take sides, it is equally heartwarming to observe the goodness innate in humans as well. Both arguments and the lack thereof are essential to a functioning society, However, as Tannen states, the automatic leap towards confrontation can be disastrous and counter-productive, which is not to say that they are not times when debates and intellectual battles are integral parts of learning. While the argument culture seems to have pervaded our society, I dont think individually our nature is to be confrontational or argumentative. It is important to remember that we can learn more by keeping an open mind. ...
