(February 25, 2013 at 1:22 am)Ryantology Wrote:
It's kind of heartwarming, assuming you have a heart.
Firstly, thank you for posting this, I found it moving. I wanted to keep context for what I'm about to say...
When I see things like this it makes me wonder, to what end?
Obvious issues aside, it seems it is in our nature to find a reason to subjugate others. Emotionally, intellectually, physically, psychologically, financially, morally, fashion, cars, salary, houses, shoes, gadgets... the list is seemingly endless and I see it every day.
Is a totally tolerant society possible, is it what we really want or need and if so where do we draw a line? If we eliminate racism and homophobia what will take its place, if anything? Is tolerance in and of itself an act or display of superiority? What are the social and personal drivers behind tolerance and what does it seek to achieve? Is it to assuage liberal guilt?
I don't have the answers to any of these questions but it seems to me this is a better place than most to ask these questions. I'd like to try and unearth reasons for both tollerence and intollerence, perhaps through honest and open dialogue we can root out the imperative that is at the heart of it all, if there is one.
Thoughts welcome.
MM
"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions" - Leonardo da Vinci
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
"I think I use the term “radical” rather loosely, just for emphasis. If you describe yourself as “atheist,” some people will say, “Don’t you mean ‘agnostic’?” I have to reply that I really do mean atheist, I really do not believe that there is a god; in fact, I am convinced that there is not a god (a subtle difference). I see not a shred of evidence to suggest that there is one ... etc., etc. It’s easier to say that I am a radical atheist, just to signal that I really mean it, have thought about it a great deal, and that it’s an opinion I hold seriously." - Douglas Adams (and I echo the sentiment)
