“I don’t understand.” I replied to a concept that was being adamantly explained to me. Explanations should never be adamant. Beliefs are adamant. When the explanation was so aggressively told I couldn’t help but think that it was an attempt to convince me, not explain to me. I wasn’t confusing someone who is excited about a concept with someone trying to convince me that the concept is indisputable. However, I was beginning to wish that this conversation never started. In fact, ironically, the whole thing wasn’t even initiated by me.
“You aren’t listening.” the correspondent of mine said to me aggravated with the feeling of failure. He began to ‘attack’every angle that could be used as an argument against what he believed. He went on for a while without a response, other than a couple sips of coffee, from me.
“Maybe it is you who does not understand.” I paused.
“Excuse me?” he was obviously compressed.
“I understand the concept which you are explaining, I just can’t understand why you believe it.” I paused until he was a nanosecond from speaking and finished with, “Perhaps I should have explained myself in more detail.”
“I understand the concept which you are explaining, I just can’t understand why you believe it.”