I Don't Necessarily Agree

People say this all the time at school. They did at high school too. I never thought much about it. But look at it from this point of view:

Professor: So, you think X?

Student: Well, I don't necessarily agree, but I think it's an interesting way to look at Y.

P: You don't necessarily agree, but you don't disagree.

S: No...

P: Then why are you afraid to defend your point of view?

S: Because it's not mine.

P: Because somebody else came up with it, so you don't have to put yourself out there?

S: I don't want to take a stand until I've thought it out carefully.

P: Why not?

S: Because I could be wrong.

P: And then what?

S: ...

P: You can take a stand, be wrong, and change your mind. It's part of the learning process.

S: These issues do not share a binary relationship. Neither allows you to learn better. If I preface something with "I don't necessarily agree," it's because I'm open to interpretations and other points of view.

INCONCLUSIVE POST