(April 16, 2015 at 10:53 am)wallym Wrote: I do have what we casually think of as sociopathic tendencies. I don't care about most other people. I could pretend, I suppose, but I could't make myself care about some random person any more than I could decide to believe in God.
If tomorrow God came down from the heavens, or wherever he hangs out and said "Just checking in. I'm real btw. Try to love eachother," I could find value in others through such a being.
I think the idea of it being good because of some threat from God, rather than his saying people have value is an idea with authority is an important distinction.
As it relates to this topic, though, it's a clear dichotomy in how I behave. So the idea that "Just be good (according to general sentiment), and it'll all be cool" isn't the greatest situation for people like me.
That's a long-winded way to say, "I'm a selfish prick and only value others if it affects me somehow."
It's honest, though, I'll give you that.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
