So you give everyone the same basic level of respect, but also feel that others are 'scum of the Earth' and deserve death?

"Do to others as deserves to be done to them."So, I guess you're the judge?

Your post contradicts itself and reads like pseudo-intellectual teen angst.

??? I give a base. then modify it in accordance to data available. Are you saying that you don't have a base respect? If you do not respect existence, then you must walk into every tree in the forest. Yes, I am the judge of my own actions... just as you are the judge of yours. I do what I think I should do, and there is nobody who does any different.

Please tell me how my post in any way contradicts itself?

I treat people according to my mood and change the way I treat people based on random factors that have nothing to do with them at all. I see the world as a mosaic of chaos but always try to motivate the mosaic toward prettier colors to maximize utility. Sometimes I treat people horribly and feel bad, sometimes quite the opposite. I try to make sense but have trouble expressing myself without resorting to pop culture references and kitschy catch phrases.

Candy coated clown they called the sandman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZQJiwU3zsw

Utilitarianism seems to me to be just a really complex way of expressing the golden rule.

Yeah, it's been one of those days...

Meep Meep!
Rhizo

(October 20, 2009 at 5:48 pm)Saerules Wrote: Please tell me how my post in any way contradicts itself?

(October 20, 2009 at 5:01 pm)Saerules Wrote: I give everyone and everything a basic respect... I accept that they are not me, and I don't break or damage them/it because of this basic respect. Beyond that, I treat others as I feel they should be treated. If I feel that one person is worthy of me bowing down before them and worshiping them: I shall treat them so. If I feel that one mosquito is the scum of the earth that deserves swift and relatively painless death for the sake of most of us: I will smite the mosquito.

Indeed. I suppose you would allow a random stranger to run up to you with a syringe, and take your blood without your consent? Of course not. The stranger (mosquito) has just disrespected your boundaries by running (flying) up to you and extracting your blood without your express consent.

The stranger is running around syringing people... it is a preventive measure to punch him in the face before he syringes you... just as smiting the mosquito is before it lances your flesh. To kill the mosquito is a preventive measure to stop the mosquito from stealing blood from people... just as removing the syringes from the stranger would prevent him from syringing anyone else.

I give those who are not me the respect of acknowledging their presence. Other characteristics define the respect from that point. Walking amongst a crowd, one acknowledges the presence of the people in the crowd... and affords all of those people the respect of not walking into them as though they are not there. As I said before: we don't walk into every tree in the forest, therefore we acknowledge existence, and also respect it. If we did not, then it would be like seeing a brick wall, and trying to walk through it.

So I missed a line or two when I typed the bold, to explain: I don't see a reason to chop down every tree in the forest... I don't break or damage things out of respect for their not harming me in any way, and simply for coexisting peacefully with me. Mosquitos (Strangers with syringes, hell bent on taking my blood) on the other hand, do not afford me this cordial respect... and even go so far as to steal from me. Why should I do anything but protect myself from those who disservice and disrespect me?

Oh. I didn't think you were actually talking about insects.

I carry no respect for insects, aside from an understanding of their role in the natural order or things.

Oh, I can see how that could have been interpreted metaphorically... but yes: I meant mosquito literally

Not always.

For example: I like complete honesty. I hate it when someone says to me "Your hair looks nice" when I really look like the wicked witch of the east. But I have learned many others actually prefer to be lied to.

Once I made a mistake and told my mother-in-law she was wrong about something. It was actually in an email, as a reply to her email. My response was very polite, explaining that the info she mass-mailed to alll her friends was incorrect, and I included a link to snopes.com. I was treating her exactly like I wanted to be treated.

She was offended. She explained that it is disrespectful to tell another person that they are wrong. So, from that time on, I don't treat her the way I'd want to be treated.


But then, Christians don't treat everyone like they's want to be treated, right? Would you like me to give you $1000? You would? Then, as a good Christian, you should obey the golden rule and give me $1000.

(October 22, 2009 at 3:41 pm)sunshine Wrote: She was offended. She explained that it is disrespectful to tell another person that they are wrong.

This is why the human race is doomed.

Seriously, this is the root to all the world's problems.

Ah if only I had $1000

Note the sig... I don't have to be perfect