From: Rob Harris (rob@hbinternet.co.uk)
Date: Tue Oct 26 1999 - 08:34:13 MDT
<< The only moral that should be remembered is to treat people well, in
order to minimise suffering. >>
>This is the most simplistic thing I have ever heard.
And this means what? How does the overlaying of a plethora of unworkable
high level subjective rules, and the resulting complexity make for a better
solution? This is the kiddies' "quantity is always best" perception.
>One cannot treat people
>well carte blanche, believe me.
>It breaks down at the first turn: treat
>someone well who is mistreating you?
No, I'm not Jesus! Anyone who mistreats me will receive my full wrath. Are
you saying that people who disregard the juvenile moronity system as it
currently stands suffer no wrath?
>And what exactly does that
>mean, treating people well.
>You want me to treat you as I think you should
>be treated? Or as YOU think you should be treated...
Masochists and sadists aside, I don't think there'll be much conflict of
opinion here.
>(Hell, I know better - ya know, what is good fer ya... i think I do...
yep - you need >to go to church, that's good fer ya, rob)
And dictating to someone else specifically how they should conduct their
life is not pissing them off at all is it?
Look at how the missionaries did all those good things for the people on
Hawaii..
: - )
>Morals have always been a hot topic for a very good reason.
What's that then? Oh yeah, the existence of a moral 'rulebook' is a
prerequisite for the non-thinking public and luddites alike. Those in power
must love it.
>They are complicated and tricky to establish, even within one's own
autonomy.
If you make them so. Remember - what are you trying to do with your morals?
What are they for ? Can't you grasp this? My problem is not with any one
particular moral, it's with the fact that they create the situation where we
can all lose sight of the reason they're there in the first place. The only
reason they exist rather than ad-libbing with the central guideline is to
avoid thought. I am saying that we should encourage thought by replacing the
high level system with the low level + thought.
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