The Web

[brewer]

Not sure what you’re saying. Yes, he is making a judgment, still not dictating. I’m not going down that road in the discussion, though. Didn’t want to in the beginning.

But you bring up another problem with the internet that can only be overcome by moderation and self-discipline. We base our judgment on snippets, headlines, reels, and such. There is a lack of depth in our understanding of situations and events. When we’re talking about real problems – such as war, politics, immigration, poverty – that ignorance only makes it worse. It makes us worse. It increases the meanness, hate, stupidity. Yes, that too has been going on for thousands of years, but, too, the internet has made that easier and harder to overcome.

Frankly, many people don’t want to understand better, especially if it goes against the reality they’ve contrived. And we’re back to the original quote. This is possible because on the web “there is no givenness to reality, there is simply individual will.”

What do others think?

I'm saying it's more than 'description', said nothing about dictating. 

People have the reality they want to have, contrived or not. 

There are plenty of things with 'no givenness to reality' (i.e. god, mental concepts, art, unless I'm misunderstanding what 'givenness' entails) and the internet is full of things based on/in reality. Additionally I don't think the internet is made up completely of 'individual will'. Sounds to me like a position that would be hard to defend.

Your second paragraph sounds a lot like preaching and that you think you hold a higher moral ground. I'm out.

[SimpleCaveman]

That poses an interesting parallel, as religion has the same issues in that there is no givenness to the reality of religious truths; they exist solely in imagination.

:-) Agree to disagree.

[Angrboda]

That poses an interesting parallel, as religion has the same issues in that there is no givenness to the reality of religious truths; they exist solely in imagination.

:-) Agree to disagree.

Sure, sure. *chuckle*

[SimpleCaveman]

Not sure what you’re saying. Yes, he is making a judgment, still not dictating. I’m not going down that road in the discussion, though. Didn’t want to in the beginning.

I'm saying it's more than 'description', said nothing about dictating.

Thanks. Glad I asked.

People have the reality they want to have, contrived or not.

There are plenty of things with 'no givenness to reality' (i.e. god, mental concepts, art, unless I'm misunderstanding what 'givenness' entails) and the internet is full of things based on/in reality. Additionally I don't think the internet is made up completely of 'individual will'. Sounds to me like a position that would be hard to defend.

Good. This is exactly why I wanted to post. Thank you.

I don’t use the word ‘givenness’ a lot myself. I think what he means when he says “a plausibility structure for the feeling that there is no givenness to reality” is that one doesn’t assume a certain structure to reality, it isn’t a given. That is, in real life, one doesn’t assume a particular reality is given. As you pointed out, we can make our own reality. Do you think defining your own reality is easier or harder in real life as compared to the internet?

Additionally I don't think the internet is made up completely of 'individual will'. Sounds to me like a position that would be hard to defend.

I agree. To say “completely” seems like a stretch. Frankly, most blanket statements are hard to defend. Reality is more nuanced than that. What do you think he means when he says “there is simply individual will”?

But you bring up another problem …

What do others think?

Your second paragraph sounds a lot like preaching and that you think you hold a higher moral ground. I'm out.

The preacher doesn’t like to be preached at! :-)

My second paragraph and your response are both good examples of the disembodied aspect of the web. If we were sitting around drinking beers while we discussed this it would be a lot different conversation! Wouldn’t you agree?

[brewer]

I'm saying it's more than 'description', said nothing about dictating.

Thanks. Glad I asked.

People have the reality they want to have, contrived or not.

There are plenty of things with 'no givenness to reality' (i.e. god, mental concepts, art, unless I'm misunderstanding what 'givenness' entails) and the internet is full of things based on/in reality. Additionally I don't think the internet is made up completely of 'individual will'. Sounds to me like a position that would be hard to defend.

Good. This is exactly why I wanted to post. Thank you.

I don’t use the word ‘givenness’ a lot myself. I think what he means when he says “a plausibility structure for the feeling that there is no givenness to reality” is that one doesn’t assume a certain structure to reality, it isn’t a given. That is, in real life, one doesn’t assume a particular reality is given. As you pointed out, we can make our own reality. Do you think defining your own reality is easier or harder in real life as compared to the internet?

Additionally I don't think the internet is made up completely of 'individual will'. Sounds to me like a position that would be hard to defend.

I agree. To say “completely” seems like a stretch. Frankly, most blanket statements are hard to defend. Reality is more nuanced than that. What do you think he means when he says “there is simply individual will”?

Your second paragraph sounds a lot like preaching and that you think you hold a higher moral ground. I'm out.

The preacher doesn’t like to be preached at! :-)

My second paragraph and your response are both good examples of the disembodied aspect of the web. If we were sitting around drinking beers while we discussed this it would be a lot different conversation! Wouldn’t you agree?

No.