IF YOU you ever find yourself in the middle of any heated discussion or debate, where arguments appear to just go around in circles and points already discussed are raised again like regurgitated fodder, take that as a cue to stop and then make your exit.
While it may be amusing to see people begin to speak in tongues despite the absence of translators, that’s enough red flags masquerading as a cue, so head on home for fresher air. No sense wasting your time and running through the gauntlet. As a friend likes to say, no more moral lessons here.
In essence, it’s called the Kevin Durant tactic. I remember during one NBA season conference, he became a punching bag of sorts, receiving a lot of criticisms for his choices, and no amount of explaining from him could appease his critics and detractors.
In exasperation, he simply walked away from the table and refused to participate further in the shaming. No fuss, just cutting away cleanly. In a sense, that KD formula is such because, in the vernacular, KD is also short for Kapoy’g Dibati (useless to debate further).
Surely, it is not the same as “live to fight another day” as that one hints at recharging with the intention of facing-off again tomorrow. In a way, KD is more definitive, it simply means, the hell with it, good riddance, I’m out of here.
In our lifetime, we may have witnessed word wars ensuing among neighbors. These heated arguments, which have a great probability of graduating into unfriending and fisticuffs, often seem to hinge merely on just who has to have the last word.
As such, because nobody wants to lose (ayaw patalo), their noisy banter just rambles on so that pretty soon, saliva slowly turns into lava-like blows. If you can, play the peacemaker and suggest KD (or live to fight another day).
It may not achieve world peace, but it’s slightly a cluck in that direction. Walking away from what we perceive as useless squabbling may seem like a passive or defeatist attitude for some gung-ho people. But face it, in the real world of the streets, the term “at a loss for words” has another more sinister connotation: swinging at each other because all avenues for talk have already been exhausted.
To ask oneself, is it worth it or what’s to gain from it, reveals what’s really under the hood of some disagreements. While some disputes may be worth pursuing till their fruition, many are actually just insignificant blips that just cloud your radar.
So, before the compass points southward, especially in one-on-ones of interpersonal relationships, at least consider walking out as a healthier option for the moment, as compared to the usual macho stance of fighting fire with fire.
Not only are constant bickerings painful to our ears, they’re actually flawed formulas reminiscent of passè teleserye shouting matches.
There used to be a song in my high school that went, Just walk away, Renee… I think that hits closer to home and what I’m driving at. Go KD!
