Re: less sex, more brains!

From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Wed Jul 17 2002 - 09:56:21 MDT


On Wed, Jul 17, 2002 at 08:59:16AM -0600, Vanessa Novaeris wrote:
>
> <<People do get emotional when they discover somebody has an "alien" value
> system. >>
>
> Thats really too bad. Its something I've been reluctant to accept (blame
> it on youthful idealism) but now that I'm starting to see it, I'm far less
> disappointed by people in general - I just expect them to react like jerks
> now. But I also think thats why I keep to myself more about my ideas - I've
> learned my lesson the hard way. People are pretty serious about their values -
> like its hard for them to be "wrong" but its unthinkable to be "bad" (if that
> makes any sense).

While it is often painful or irritating to have people blowing up
because of what one says, it is also necessary to have intellectual
integrity and stand for what one considers to be right. It is a
tricky balance between being friendly and speaking out about what
one truly believes. There is a time and place for everything.

One of the great things about the current western culture is the
increasing acceptance of different value systems. But this has been
brought about by brave people speaking out for them (and often
getting hit back) and slowly, slowly making tolerance the
acceptable position. It is a quest that we must continue.

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anders Sandberg                                      Towards Ascension!
asa@nada.kth.se                            http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/
GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y


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