“Never argue with fools. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
How often do you find yourself tangled in a pointless argument?
We’ve all been there, trying to reason with someone who’s stubbornly determined to stick to their opinions, no matter how ill-informed they may be. It can be frustrating and time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
In this article, we’ll try to understand an age-told fable about this very same problem. We’ll look at why it’s important to let them believe what they want and focus on the truth that only you know.
So, if you’re ready to learn about this fun story from a long-forgotten time, read on!
The Story of The Donkey and The Tiger
Once, in a jungle far, far away, there lived a donkey and a tiger.
One day, while they were having a conversation, the donkey told the tiger, “The grass is blue.”
The tiger disagreed. This cannot be. No, the grass is green.”, scuffed the tiger.
The argument became so heated that they decided to approach the king of the jungle, the lion, for arbitration.
As they approached the lion’s throne, the donkey cried out, “Your Highness, isn’t it true that the grass is blue?” To which the lion replied, “If you believe it is true, the grass is blue.”
The donkey continued, “The tiger disagrees with me, contradicts me, annoys me…please punish him!”
The lion agreed. He declared that the tiger would be punished with three days of silence.
The donkey was overjoyed and went on his way, repeating, “The grass is blue! The grass is blue!”
The tiger asked the lion why he was punished, “After all, the grass is green.”
The lion replied, “You’ve known and seen that the grass is green. The punishment is not for the color of the grass but for wasting your time arguing with a donkey and bothering me with such a petty issue.”
And from that day on, the tiger learned to avoid useless arguments, and the donkey continued to believe that the grass was blue.
Moral of the Story
The story’s moral is that it’s a waste of time and energy to argue with someone who isn’t willing to listen to reason or accept the truth. It’s important to protect your peace and not let these petty arguments drag you down.
Instead of getting bogged down in a pointless argument, it’s better to simply walk away and focus on more productive things.
Remember, the fool is always going to believe what they want to believe, no matter what evidence you present. So why bother trying to change their mind? Just let it go and move on.
The lesson here is that sometimes the best way to handle a fool is to simply let them be. Don’t let their ignorance or stubbornness bring you down. Instead, maintain your focus and keep your peace. After all, life is too short to waste it on arguments with people who won’t listen.
Other Ways to Protect Your Peace
Protecting your peace of mind is essential to living a happy and fulfilling life. There are several other ways to protect it besides refusing to argue with foolish people.
Here are a few tips on how you can keep it intact:
- Practice self-care: Make time for activities that you enjoy, exercise regularly, eat healthy, and get enough sleep.
- Surround yourself with positive people: Surround yourself with people who bring you joy, inspiration, and support.
- Limit exposure to negativity: Avoid people, places, and things that bring negativity into your life.
- Set boundaries: Communicate your boundaries to others, and do not be afraid to remove yourself from toxic or draining situations.
- Cultivate gratitude: Focus on the things in your life that you are thankful for, and practice mindfulness.
- Let go of control: Try to accept the things you cannot change and focus on the things you can control.
- Practice mindfulness and meditation: Taking time to focus on your breathing and being present in the moment can help to calm your mind and reduce stress.
- Seek professional help: If you’re struggling to manage your stress or negative thoughts, consider seeking the support of a therapist or counselor.
Remember, protecting your peace is a continuous journey and requires effort. Most times, it’s more complicated and challenging than we think. But if we can pull through, it is well worth it in the end.
[End Note: This article was inspired by an article by my friend, Matt Hogan on the same topic.]
