Taking sides

Same here. I think it comes from the family I grew up in in which I often stuck up for a member even though I didn't agree with them or knew they were wrong.

You know, FreeDuck, my family was not at all that way. Since I was the baby, and was separated from my siblings by a rather large gap, it was like being an only child. The only time that I can remember my older sister taking my side, was if someone larger wanted to beat me up. I only recall my mom having done it ONE time. Perhaps that was because I didn't always talk to my parents about anything.

Here on A2K, it sometimes becomes a serious situation because so many folks we only know by what they write.

Yeah, I have a pretty big family and we often fought with each other. But when it came to one of us against an outsider, or a sibling against the parents, alliances formed quickly.

I wonder if we aren't more likely to back up a veteran member who we don't agree with when attacked by a newer member who we do? It's all very interesting. And I'm sorry, I don't think I'm helping you with your question at all.

FD, It is still true, ya know. When one neighbor gets his feelings a bit trampled on, I just back off now. I'm not much good at taking sides, cause it tends to destroy my objectivity. I do remember as a kid overhearing my parents "talk about" my aunt, who I thought was a goddess. I was just a wee kid and confronted them in shock and horror. Sheeeeeze. I didn't know nuttin'. I can still remember the look that they gave each other.

Yikes! I missed your second response. Well, perhaps, FD. Want to know something silly? I just got an email (spam, of course) whose subject said, "I just went to bat for you"...

There are some folks on here that don't give a rats who is what, and if they disagree, it doesn't matter who it is. Check into the political threads sometimes...

Re: Taking sides


I doubt most of us "improve" on this at all at any point. When you invest your trust in someone you believe (or at least hope...) that the individual is worthy of it and all of want to think we make intelligent choices.

When we see someone else take that person to task it forces us to confront our own decisions and most of us don't like having to admit that we might have made a bad choice. Seeing someone that we trust and have befriended "taken to task" bruises our own ego so the gut reation is to defend them and in doing so, defend our own choices.

You're right fishin'. It is an ego thing, and to extrapolate, I sometimes think it ripples to international levels:

USA: Hey, Frenchie. We've been there for you during war time. What the hell are you doing not backing us?

France: Ho Hum!