Argument Clinic

Open for business (somewhat unwillingly) most of the night last night. Jake and our friend John were the main participants seeking a friendly fight (or two, or ten). For some reason I am always the designated arguer. Serves me right for having non-mainstream opinions! I find that the white men in my life are the main customers at the argument clinic. I say that with love. And a touch of exhaustion. Topics argued, a partial list:

-- global warming
-- Al Gore and the great man theory
-- the existence of a universal human nature
-- communist morality v. "universal" morality (you can't see it, but my keyboard is dripping with sarcasm over that)
-- peak oil
-- the social construction of biology
-- utopian thinking v. historical materialism
-- anarchism
-- the viability of socialism
-- the categories "human" v. "animal"
-- petrodollars
-- the unlikelihood of Obama being elected, and if elected, the likelihood of him being assassinated (inspired by a comment from S., who can out-Debbie-Downer even me)
-- individual v. collective identity as an aspect of social responsibility
-- the value of the occasional ad hominem attack (specifically against Bush) for those on the left to blow off steam
-- expediency v. idealism in political action

Perhaps a bit much for one Sunday night. Thus, heteronormativity, one of my personal favorites, didn't even make an appearance. Yes, I know I could just refuse to take the bait, or agree to disagree, or whatever, but come on. That's not how I was socially constructed. Payment was given, in the form of dishes washed and dinner cooked, so the clinic has balanced its books. And it'll undoubtedly open for business again when Jake gets home in an hour. These things can't be helped. Next time I am maxed out I will just tweak Monty Python and argue that we are not in fact arguing, there is no argument nor were we ever disagreeing about anything.