C.S. Lewis wrote an entire article on Bulverism, a vice that was a problem then and still is a very real problem in today's society. But what in the world is Bulverism? Lewis created this term by using a fictional character, Ezekiel Bulver, who heard his mom say to his dad, "Oh, you say that because you are a man." In Lewis' words, Bulverism is "to assume without discussion that he is wrong and then distract his attention from this (the only real issue) by busily explaining how he became to be so silly." To simplify it even further, to me, Bulverism means that someone is quick to say how completely wrong another person is without any real explanation why, and without giving that person a chance to explain themselves or their arguments.
This essay, although written in 1941, still has so much relevance to our lives today. I agree with Lewis when he said that he sees Bulverism at work in every political argument. I usually can't stand watching political debates because I get so frustrated at how both political parties rudely disagree, roll their eyes, and interrupt the other person before that person even has a chance to say what they want to say. It is fine if they choose to agree to disagree in the end, but they end up being so sure that they are right and the other person is wrong that it doesn't even end up being a proper debate.
Not only is there Bulverism in politics, but it is also seen in everyday conversation. Often with the people we're closest to, such as siblings, parents, or roommates, we tend to always think we are right and the other person is automatically wrong. We often get into pointless arguments just because of our pride. We're no better than the politicians, because we are just as guilty of Bulverism as they are.
Now the problem lies in how to combat the vice of Bulverism. How are we ever going to be able to get rid of this sense of bullying each other? A virtue that may be able to overcome Bulverism is respect. If we respect each other in their ideas, time to talk, and views on things, I believe that arguments would happen much less. We may still choose to disagree with someone's views, but we must do it respectfully. Also, we have to remember that the people we are arguing against are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to be respectful of them because they are created just as beautifully in God's eyes as we are.
Agreed! Respect would be a lovely thing for everyone to get a little more of. Sadly it is another virtue that people in todays culture and society are less likely to have. In other countries there are people who bow to elders, maybe that's more than I'd like to see, but it's a good example of how much more respect is given in other places. I do wish that we had more respect for people as they mature though, there seems to be a steep curve of "now you're respectable" somewhere around 40 or 50
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