When Emotions Are Dominant

Have you ever seen a debate? Debate begins when the first speaker speaks about their opinion related to the motion. At first, the situation is controllable and calm. But when it reaches the climax? Everything seems like BOOM! There is a kind of team who cannot control their emotions. They will try to keep speaking out their minds although the time limit has been done. Let me tell you my own experience. I was on the 10th grade of senior high school when I decided to join a debate competition with 2 somebodys I haven’t known yet. First, I want to ask you, how does it feel? Counting Day-D and not knowing with whom you will try to win this competition. My senior gave me all the motions, there are 10. She also taught me how to debate. I kept nodding. Really, honestly, actually, I hate all things about debate. I love peace (?). Seeing people defended what they believe true even sometime it isn’t is very ‘nggregetin’. Finally, it was the day-D of the competition, we were getiing ready and I was the first speaker. With all my first beginner experience, I was trying to speak as long as I could. But I couldn’t. I didn’t really understand with the motion, honestly. The time left is still long. This condition wasn’t the same with our opposite team, their first speaker spoke so much that I (honestly) did not understand what she was talking about. This is debate using english but that first speaker blurt some words using bahasa Indonesia, like “hari kemerdekaan.” She talked very fast and all that I heard is the sentences that have the same meaning repeated. Nah, when it reached the climax… My team was delivering our opinions simply. Maybe the opposite team thought that we didn’t understand the motion (actually, I did). I saw that boy, their second speaker, standing with that angry face to us. He was soooo emotion, that his face was like: “Don’t you understand the motion?” (-__-). The other friends, the first and the third speaker stood up also but to calm him down. I wanted to laugh. Hahaha. It’s only a competition but he’s very yahh ‘terbawa suasana’. Finally, we lost. Not a happy ending, but that was alright.

This phenomenon is not only happened in a debate but also a discussion. There was a discussion and each group are allowed to give their opinion whether if it’s an agreement or disagreement. And unfortunately, there was a group who said “agree” when the other didn’t. All “disagree” groups shouted their opinion and told that the “agree” group’s opinion is wrong and they have to be like them who disagree. Moreover, rather than think, accept, and appreciate the opinion which is different with theirs, they kept talking and defended. This is so exhausting to see and hear. Sometime I wonder why somebody becomes like losing their senses when they believe something that might be false. They do not want to hear others that might be true. Their minds seems like have set up not to believe things that is not similar with what they’ve concluded. What if they are right and you are wrong?

This reminds me about all the moments before the day we choose our next president. I support the candidate that most of my friends didn’t. When I updated my pm and said a thing about my candidate, I got respond. “Are you sure with your decision?” “Let me tell you something..” and it ended up they sent me links and photos which contain the negative sides of the candidate I support. Before I can even breathe, they sent me more and more. I think that I also have rights to choose somebody whom I think right. I also open my twitter timeline and it was like a war between the supporters of both candidates. Not rarely they expose the dark side (that I think some of those news can be wrong, they sometime do not check the sources of the data or news). I got dizzy seeing this. You cannot force someone to believe or become like what you wanted since everybody has their own minds. In addition, compare to search for the candidates-that-you-don’t-support’s flaws, you can look for the candidate-you-support’s programs and compare both of their programs. You see, which will be best and possible to pursue. So you don’t waste your precious time on thing that has no function. I remember, when our emotions are dominant we might be lost our logic. When we really hate the other’s candidate or opinion, everything they do will seem like ‘apaan sih’. Try to stay calm and cool your mind. Listen. Listen. Listen and listen before you speak. Because when we speak a lot, we won’t learn a thing. Listen then speak.