(August 4, 2013 at 2:16 pm)Koolay Wrote: I was thinking about how during the peak of slavery in America, it was completely disapproved by society to be against slavery and racism. You would have virtually no friends, people would attack you verbally or physically if you questioned slavery and racism.
Today, being an anti-racist, doesn't require much courage at all. You get big kudos in the western world from society if you speak out against racism.
But... I wonder how many of these anti-racists awashed in modern culture would still stand for their principles, even when the chips are down, and you are completely outnumbered and ostracised for your principles?
How many of you would still be anti-racist if you were completely outnumbered by racists?
Every single society in history has pretty much said the same thing "We are normal, healthy and rational people - but we have a few outliers". If you would take anyone from the middle ages, and put them in modern society, they would be carted off to an insane asylum almost instantly.
How do we know, what we are doing right now in society is valid and ethical, when in a few hundred years, our Joe Shmo might be considered completely irrational and weird.
I guess the question is... Do you care more about social approval or principles?
I think this is one topic you're likely to get a lot of dishonest answers about, also I think it's a question that depends a lot on the circumstances anyway you look at it.
If I was in a situation where I was part of a huge rich family who made money from having slaves who were black I doubt I'd give up my vast fortune, large house, secure family and farm and whatever else just because I feel sorry for a few black people, and I am a person with a lot of empathy in comparison with people I know, but I imagine in a world full of unfairness, poverty and death a few slaves wouldn't weigh heavy on my guilt, since round the time of slaves there were child chimney sweeps and mill workers, people dying of all sorts, and it was a harsh dog eat dog world.
But if it's just a case of me talking about something I believe in even if it will result in social disapproval then I wouldn't really care.
Are you ready for the fire? We are firemen. WE ARE FIREMEN! The heat doesn’t bother us. We live in the heat. We train in the heat. It tells us that we’re ready, we’re at home, we’re where we’re supposed to be. Flames don’t intimidate us. What do we do? We control the flame. We control them. We move the flames where we want to. And then we extinguish them.
Impersonation is treason.
