Ummm, did the alliteration not indicate to you that the observations were made with my lingualis hard against my Buccinator? As it is, your reply certainly opens up some interesting lines of thought.
As I have suggested before on this list, I find the "golden rule" a perfectly adequate basis for an ethical system, so IMO preach on (and as the Wiccan's might say) "and you (will) do no harm".
It is only worthwhile listening rather than speaking only so long as the speaker is making sense, especially in an environment where potentially susceptible people are present. I rather think that the relatively few rational people in the world owe a duty to themselves and their descendants to attempt to promote rationality in the face of unreason. The forces of "faith" may not be particularly knowledgeable, persuasive or literate, but they are strong in numbers and the underlying idea pushed by most belief systems, that its members can "have it all" without needing to work is a strong attractor to the demagogue. After all, the purveyors of this claptrap are quite secure from ever having to deliver on "richness in heaven". All that rationality offers is that if you work hard and think carefully, that you could have a lot of fun, may make some money in the here and now, and that other rational people will possibly respect you.
In this forum, there are a number of vociferous people who seem to me to be attempting to convey the impression of being "elder members". In my opinion, if one is in an environment such as this, and one does not speak up when these wanna-be-leaders talk nonsense, if one then remains silent, then one conveys a sense of undeserved countenance, approbation and justification to these willful proponents of nonsense. While I am attempting to decide whether to remain on this list or to leave, I am making sure that my position remains clear. Approval (even passive approval) of people who attempt to use reason to attack reason and cannot see or will not acknowledge the impossibility of their position, is the last thing I intend. If as you seem to imply, this position is a sham, then it is the most obscenely malevolent unethical display I have ever had the misfortune to observe. Fascinating though it may be, it is like watching a snake playing with a young bird.
I find your interpretation interesting. I simply said 'magnificent exaltation of the "meek"' and you read 'something about exalting the power of the meek' Why "power of"? The "power of the meek" is an oxymoron, although the tyranny of the "meek" is something I well understand. Or are you redefining these words on the fly?
At the last company I worked with (they are in Chapter 11 right now), I headed up the research team investigating fundamental computer, communications and engineering techniques and performing product definition and preparation of material for potential investors. No substantial hierarchy. In my department most everyone was a peer. Currently negotiating with various companies to create an external R&D environment.
"segue" is correct :-)
TheHermit
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-virus@lucifer.com
> [mailto:owner-virus@lucifer.com]On Behalf
> Of Tim Rhodes
> Sent: Thursday, March 11, 1999 10:10 AM
> To: virus@lucifer.com
> Subject: Re: The Myth of medicine, mysticism and magic was -
> RE: virus:
> BraveNew World
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, 11 Mar 1999, carlw wrote:
>
> > Good grief Tim.
> >
> > First it was fullsome (not to say frenzied) favoring of the
> fantastic
> > effects of faith; then, as I collect, you followed it up by boldly
> > blustering on the beauty of belief. Now you exceed even that with an
> > magnificient exaltation of the "meek" (or at least the
> unwashed)! What is
> > next?
>
> Oh, probably some clap-trap like "Love thy neighbor as
> thyself" or "It is better
> to listen than to speak." Depends on my mood and which face
> of your immobile
> and towering "position" I choose to scale tomorrow. I do
> find it interesting
> that I said, "As many (would be janitors) as want to be." and
> yet you heard
> something about exalting the power of the meek. Interesting.
> What kind of work
> do you do, Carl? And how is _your_ workplace hierarchy structured?
>
> Remeber, as I said, mine are only "stances" and tomorrow
> another may serve
> my purposes much better than the one I present today. So,
> please, don't let
> your assumptions get in the way of seeing that.
>
> In a group of people using religion as a blinder to keep them
> from understanding
> rationality, my stances might be just the opposite of the
> ones this situation
> calls for.
>
> > Apropos the power of prayer, see the appended paste. It
> would seem as if the
> > proponents of the virtues of belief have some dirty laundry
> to scrub.
>
> A great article (I've included it again below). I'm glad you
> could use my
> completely unrelated comment as a segue (sp?) to it.
>
> -Prof. Tim
>
> The Hermit wrote:
>