On Without End

"Family Guy's not funny," I groan, falling back on the couch and pulling a pillow over my face in a half mocking disgust. The remote refuses to fast forward through any more commercials.

"And why's that?" asks my dad. I know that "just because" won't work as an answer. Never does, not with him. All opinions must be backed by facts and reasons. Cite your sources. This much, he has taught me well. Sitting up again, I chew on my lip, taking my time digging for solid reasoning and a backed debate.

"It's offensive," I start, "Take that, for instance," I flick my wrist at the screen. The fat man, propped behind a fast food counter, nasally boasts "Ding, fries are done!" again and again in a painfully annoying loop of animation without much substance.

"The Carol of the Bells is a beautiful song, and deserves respect."

"And that's why you don't like it?" he prompts.

"Well, yes. It's disrespectful towards, well, everything."

"Right," he tells me. He beams slightly, as though he's proud that I've figured something out. "It respects nothing. Unless you can put aside your own beliefs, you can't find that show funny."

There's no moral to this, specifically. I've figured out why I don't like Family Guy. But this isn't about simply not liking a show. It's about being able to have a reason behind it. Interaction always involves conflict, a disagreement. The trick to conflict is being able to debate. If you can back your reasoning, you can always come full circle, with a little more understanding on your side, instead of a shallow and empty "Just because."