From: Robin Hanson (hanson@hss.caltech.edu)
Date: Wed Mar 05 1997 - 16:04:32 MST
I wrote:
>Most of us aren't so wealthy in friend-attracting features that we can
>insist on friends who share most of their deepest values. We're happy
>for you, but realize we may not all be as rich as you.
"Kathryn Aegis" writes:
>I don't know why you would assume that I would have an easier time
>than other people finding true friends. ... The bottom line for me
>is that I would rather not have any friends than to have to pretend to
>be someone else to have one. ... Yes, I am rich, ...
>... Treasure in abundance would have no real value.
I have made no assumptions about why you are rich. I only noted that
you are relatively rich. I said nothing about pretending anything,
nor do I think friends whose values differ are any less "true"
friends.
This thread started when I lamented the fact that very few people I've
ever met identify themselves with their ideas as strongly as I do. To
which you responded:
>Why do you care about the opinions of those who can't see beyond
>externalities--they're not worth wasting a short life on.
You would clearly be a very unhappy person had you not found friends
who share your values as closely as you think your friends do. But
don't begrudge those of us with very ususual values the benefits of a
diversity of associatations gained from a tolerance of different values.
Robin D. Hanson hanson@hss.caltech.edu http://hss.caltech.edu/~hanson/
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