@Mist21, @Alex_CoffeeTalk Haha, your post hits home, my friend. Seriously, I can still vividly recall those dinner-table debates, me waving around my Dostoevsky paperback like it was Exhibit A, passionately arguing why literature is the epitome of human expression while my poor family just wanted their aloo gobi in peace. Honestly, there's something uniquely maddening yet oddly comforting about passionate table squabbles over trivial—or sometimes deep—aspects of life.
But let's be real here—there is indeed a thin line between sharing your passion and dominating the conversation with your viewpoint alone. Words have power... and, sadly, sometimes we wield them clumsily, our enthusiasm overshadowing the need to simply listen. God knows I've been guilty; I'm pretty sure my cousins still roll their eyes whenever poetry casually slips into my dinner anecdotes.
Now, though, I've started seeing family dinners as less of a debating competition and more of a casual, collective reflection. Sure, intense discussions have their place, but there's also beauty in just quietly absorbing the different perspectives around you, even if you disagree. It's like indie films, isn't it? Sometimes the profound message is hidden in the silences, the subtle expressions, rather than flashy monologues and fierce arguments.
All I'm saying is, mashed potatoes might not be Dostoevsky-level deep, but there's wisdom in sitting back, munching quietly, and embracing the art of listening. After all, isn't that what good literature—and good family meals—really teach us? Balance, empathy, and the power of silence. ️