Sunday's Thought

I was talking with a friend this week about preferences and convictions.  Basically, it wasn't directly about these two subjects but it's what the conversation came down too.

"Mysterious Shenandoah"
(C) Allen Pearson

I enjoyed the conversation until the person told me that regardless of what I said,  they would have a response and I wasn't going to win.  I don't enjoy discussions which go that way as that tells me the other person has already closed their mind to anything you have to say even if it is one of those stellar moments in history that you would come up with something which would solve all the problems in the universe with the one simple solution.   I. personally, have those moments often but getting someone else to notice it, or believe it, is another issue.

I ended the conversation with a question, and it's stuck with me for a few days so maybe it's a good point, "Why should someone do something that goes against their convictions, not just their preferences?"  The other person thought about that for a few moments and we ended our conversation.

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, one of the meanings of conviction is "a strong persuasion or belief."  The definition of preference is "the act of preferring : the state of being preferred and the power or opportunity of choosing."

So my question is, "should someone go against their 'convictions' to do something that would make someone else happy- though they could ask someone else to help them out?" And, we're not talking the obvious of helping someone out in an emergency situation or circumstance.  I can understand someone preferring not to do something- but they could do it if need be.

My thought today is, "do you have convictions about something?  Do you go against them to please someone?  What about preferences? Would you go against them to please someone?"  The "someone" being a person you don't know.

An odd question maybe, but I would like to read your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.