virus: Reign of the Tribal Distinction Meme
Nathaniel Hall (natehall@WORLDNET.ATT.NET)
Sun, 02 Aug 1998 10:58:38 -0600
Tim Rhodes wrote:
>
> Nate wrote:
>
> >Tim Rhodes wrote:
> >>But I will say this: Thinking you're "right" and
> >> deserve to win a game, doesn't do you any good if you don't first
> >> understand how to *play* and *win* that game.
> >
> >True. But what point is there to winning if you go about it in a way
> >that makes you unable to respect yourself?
>
> Hmmm... let's remember the roots of this discussion. As I wrote:
>
> >By painting one you oppose as less than you--more
> >fearful or stupid or lazy--you deny that they may be motivated by the
> >same drives as you, deny that they may be as complex and caring
> >as yourself.
>
> Now, IMHO, all of us here are intelligent enough that we can (and do) find
> ways of generating, for ourselves, the self-respect you mention above
> without being dependant upon the labeling of others as lesser than us, just
> so that we might feel better about ourselves.
>
> -Prof. Tim
The motivation to do the right thing does not necessarily have to be
like the Church Lady's "I'm just a wee bit superior to you". It could
just be a simple desire to do what's right for its own sake. When I
screw up and someone else points out that I screwed up in such a way
that there can be no denying I screwed up, I say "I am sorry" and try to
make amends. Moral judgments can be made upon yourself as well as
others. The very root of this discussion was that it was a mistake to
make moral judgments and that's what drew me into it in the first place.
I think moral judgments, when done reasonably, are a necessary and good
thing.
Nate H.