virus: Re: virus: Socrates

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Awake and sober, I realized that I would still say the same thing. I = just might have said it differently. I do believe that societies need = rules. It's an issue of the good of the many versus the good of the one. = My concern about the USA today is that the rules are beginning to apply = less to the many and more to specific groups. These groups are the least = open minded and the least flexible.

I'm not a Harvard grad. I'm probably less educated than many of the = people on this list. My primary asset, other than a reasonable degree of = intelligence and an open mind, is that I have a very broad-range of = friends and acquaintances. My life has provided me with vast and varied = experiences.

The value of this is in my ability to view the world from so many points = and angles. Unfortunately, the picture I am beginning to see frightens = me. I have long preferred a "dispassionate" approach. I tend to distance = myself from discomfort. That doesn't work if the world decides to come = to me. It's reaching that point.

There are large groups of people in this country who are not = open-minded. We have a ridged core population which has retained a = number of fiercely archaic beliefs. These people ARE passionate in their = beliefs. They don't care what you or I think. Whether their aware of it = or not, many of these people view free thought as a threat. I do not = want to live in a puritan world. I am frequently thankful that I do not = have to choose between and marriage starvation; my nature is not = particularly submissive.=20

The right-wing fundamentalists groups are very well meaning in their = intentions. I believe this absolutely, based upon the people that I know = and know well. They are not evil. In addition, there is a large = politically conservative group whose politics are financially motivated. = These people (I've been one for years), believe in the American dream: = no matter where you come from, you can work hard, create a nice life, = and keep it.

My concern is what I see as a gradual convergence of these two disparate = groups. Together they will be very powerful. Anyone who doesn't agree = with one party or the other, is likely to get squashed.=20

Dispassionate science is valuable. But to a large degree, it is about = conducting research, writing papers, and talking about it. There are = people in this country who are pushing for reduction of freedom. They're = doing a lot more than talking. They're busy taking action. If their = motivation is "passion" (albeit from a position of fear), where do you = want to be coming from?

Awake and sober, I realized that I would still say the same = thing. I=20 just might have said it differently. I do believe that societies = need=20 rules. It's an issue of the good of the many versus the good of the one. = My=20 concern about the USA today is that the rules are beginning to apply = less to the=20 many and more to specific groups. These groups are the least open minded = and the=20 least flexible.

I'm not a Harvard grad. I'm probably less educated than many of the = people on=20 this list. My primary asset, other than a reasonable degree of = intelligence and=20 an open mind, is that I have a very broad-range of friends and = acquaintances. My=20 life has provided me with vast and varied experiences.

The value of this is in my ability to view the world from so many = points and=20 angles. Unfortunately, the picture I am beginning to see frightens me. I = have=20 long preferred a "dispassionate" approach. I tend to distance = myself=20 from discomfort. That doesn't work if the world decides to come to me. = It's=20 reaching that point.

There are large groups of people in this country who are not = open-minded. We=20 have a ridged core population which has retained a number of fiercely = archaic=20 beliefs. These people ARE passionate in their beliefs. They don't care = what you=20 or I think. Whether their aware of it or not, many of these people view = free=20 thought as a threat. I do not want to live in a puritan world. I am = frequently=20 thankful that I do not have to choose between and marriage starvation; = my nature=20 is not particularly submissive.

The right-wing fundamentalists groups are very well meaning in their=20 intentions. I believe this absolutely, based upon the people that I know = and=20 know well. They are not evil. In addition, there is a large politically=20 conservative group whose politics are financially motivated. These = people (I've=20 been one for years), believe in the American dream: no matter where you = come=20 from, you can work hard, create a nice life, and keep it.

My concern is what I see as a gradual convergence of these two = disparate=20 groups. Together they will be very powerful. Anyone who doesn't agree = with one=20 party or the other, is likely to get squashed.

Dispassionate science is valuable. But to a large degree, it is about = conducting research, writing papers, and talking about it. There are = people in=20 this country who are pushing for reduction of freedom. They're doing a = lot more=20 than talking. They're busy taking action. If their motivation is=20 "passion" (albeit from a position of fear), where do you want = to be=20 coming from?

Roni