Our book club met at the library in Springfield and things got heated.

We were discussing a character's choice in chapter 7, and a member named Karen said, 'That's just bad writing, period.' It shut down the whole conversation for fifteen minutes. How do you handle someone who states opinions as absolute fact?

3 comments

3 Comments

joel_clark371mo ago

Notice this happens everywhere from book clubs to family dinners. People get attached to their take and present it like it's a law of nature. I usually just ask what specific thing made them feel that way, which forces them to explain instead of just declare.

wren6381mo ago

Honestly I'm probably guilty of this too, I mean I'll get super into my own hot take and forget it's just an opinion. Your question trick is smart though, it makes people actually think about why they feel that way. I should try that instead of just digging my heels in.

corablack1mo ago

What if we're all just lawyers for our own bad ideas? I've caught myself defending takes I don't even fully believe just because I said them out loud. Joel's question is like a truth serum that makes the whole courtroom shut up.