Rakes, Pearls, and Information Noise: My Take on an Internal Dilemma
I have stepped on the exact same rake once again—probably for the thousandth time. Caught in a storm of emotional indignation, I barely managed to restrain myself and walked away from an argument right in the middle of it. And that is a victory, albeit a small one. The right move would have been to remain completely silent, but the situation felt so utterly absurd that I just couldn’t hold back, and off it went… Following this clash, I decided to write down my thoughts. I need this to ground myself and reflect once more on emotional outbursts and whether it makes any sense to get dragged into debates with those who, under the heavy influence of propaganda and information noise, have temporarily lost the ability to think logically and see cause-and-effect relationships.
The Bible has well-known words on this matter:
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (Matthew 7:6).
Stripping away the harshness of this ancient metaphor and translating it into the language of psychology and physiology, I am faced with a profound internal dilemma.
On one hand, this principle seems entirely pragmatic to me. Why waste scarce mental energy on those who are heavily locked into dogmas? Modern media technologies—whether in Trump’s America, Iran, or anywhere else on the planet—have learned to skillfully disguise themselves as “honest independent journalism,” “the fight for justice,” and “the protection of human rights.” Inside this noise, a person develops a deaf cocoon. On a physiological level, their brain releases stress hormones in response to any alternative arguments, defending their identity rather than the truth. Logic is powerless here, and I am merely wasting my strength in vain.
On the other hand, a different line of reasoning kicks in. What if every calm explanation I give, despite everything, stays in the listener’s subconscious? Right now, that person might be arguing fiercely, broadcasting memorized false narratives, and getting angry. But the words have been spoken. And someday, when the time comes and external circumstances shift, causing the media-constructed bubble to collide with reality, these words might begin to sprout like dormant seeds. They might force them to think when they are left alone with themselves during moments of inevitable life crisis.
But here I ask myself the most critical question: what is the price of this hypothetical “sprouting” to me personally?
An emotional outburst during an argument leaves me completely drained. The limited resource of strength and attention that I should be directing toward my personal growth, studies, work, and achieving specific goals ends up burned away in a pointless discussion. It turns out that by trying to get through to someone, I am voluntarily jeopardizing my own plans—the very plans my future directly depends on.
In conclusion, I must establish a strict rule for myself: never get dragged into any arguments again and never try to prove anything to anyone. If a situation becomes absolutely unbearable and I am practically bursting with the urge to explain or speak my mind, the right move is to choose one of two options:
- Forcefully switch to any other thought and hold onto it for at least a couple of minutes. For instance, think in detail about what exactly I need to do and achieve by the end of this week or the next.
- If shifting the focus of my thoughts fails completely, I must simply remove myself physically, getting away from that person or group—either under any convenient pretext or just walking away silently without explaining why.
It is far more important to focus on my own future and preserve my inner peace than to waste my life trying to convince those who are simply not ready to listen yet.
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