posted on June 4, 2001 12:37:23 PM new
Sometimes, just for fun, I'll compose a reply with every dirty, four-letter word I can muster. It usually ends with, "And you can suspend me, I don't care. You [favorite poster's name here] can kiss my backside!!
Then I hit the "Clear Fields" button. It's kind of good for a laugh. (Wish they'd move the buttons farther apart though ... whoops!) Anybody else? It's kind of therapeutic.
posted on June 4, 2001 02:31:18 PM new
To get back on track... The first thing I would do is eliminate human abuse and animal abuse.
The second thing I would do is deplete Testosterone from all men, thereby eliminating war, sexual abuse, and just about every other social problem known in this world.
posted on June 4, 2001 02:33:53 PM new
Insofar as I understand the historical principle of toleration, it's the application of the belief that everyone should be entitled to express and practice his or her beliefs, subject of course to any laws governing the social context of that application. It has never been, nor do I see how it could possibly be, construed to mean that those with different or opposing views must agree with, affirm, or necessarily even respect the opposition. If the latter were the case, no meaningful exchange of opinion could ever take place. The end result of toleration, historically speaking, is to expand freedom, not limit it.
How one chooses to express his or her beliefs, as well as all other verbal exchanges in a society, is most strongly influenced by the events and customs of the times. Though one may or may not like the current more direct and so-called confrontational style of the present, nonetheless, no one individual or group has the power to control or change it any more than they could change the social fabric of the society itself. Thornton Wilder describes style as the faintly contemptible vessel that holds the liquid thought. Just as problems arise from confusing the messenger with the message, just as often confusion arises from confusing the style of the message with the ideas conveyed within it.
Corollary to the style of expression as a reflection of the social conventions of the times is the rich diversity of forms used to express ideas and beliefs. Though exposition and argument are predominant and may be as creative as their employer, fiction, verse, and drama have also been as powerful as, or in some instances more powerful than, the more prosaic forms of expression with language. On internet chatboards one can find this diversity used in the discussion of topics with a richness which is not present anywhere else. Again, one may prefer one or more forms over others, but too often an intolerance for form is confused with or disguised as an intolerance for the ideas expressed through that form. The same also holds true for the use of the device of humor.
In a specific chatboard context, as the one that originated this subtopic, I believe that all of the points above apply in attempting to understand toleration. That is, if one really wishes to examine the meaning and application of toleration. Like so many concepts, however, it can also be used simply as a pawn in chatboard games, just as concepts are used in various ways in playing social and political games. Personally, I find it all interesting.
posted on June 4, 2001 02:41:14 PM newThe second thing I would do is deplete Testosterone from all men, thereby eliminating war, sexual abuse, and just about every other social problem known in this world.
posted on June 4, 2001 02:49:28 PM newJames: I don't want to eliminate men! Heavens no! I love men! I just think they need to have their ardors cooled a bit. Except for certain times. You know, like they could have a spigot, and turn on the "T" at the right times, and turn it off the rest of the time. That way they could think about something other than S-E-X.
posted on June 4, 2001 02:57:05 PM new
Most of us here at the RT tolerate each other pretty well. It's the ones that can't tolerate us that get mad and leave. So then, who is the most tolerant? The ones that stay or the ones that go?
I love the idea of an on/off testosterone button or spigot.
Want to have an intelligent discussion, or go see a movie where no one is hacked to bits? Ladies, just turn off your man's T-dosage, and in 15-30 minutes, he'll be mellow.
Want an evening of hot monkey love? Turn that baby on full blast!
This could also come in the deluxe model which would have low levels for things like taking out the garbage, finishing projects you start, etc.
posted on June 4, 2001 06:42:09 PM new
I'll bet men wish they could turn estrogen on and off too.
Hi Hepburn! Are you sure dogs don't do it for fun? I would swear my chi's enjoyed it when they got to "do it" . They liked it so much they still could "do it" after they were neutered.
posted on June 4, 2001 06:45:30 PM new
Maybe your dog is part ape. Or maybe part man. You know the old joke of the dog licking itself and the man says "wish I could do that".
posted on June 4, 2001 07:01:39 PM new"The second thing I would do is deplete Testosterone from all men, thereby eliminating war, sexual abuse, and just about every other social problem known in this world."
An interesting theory of the causes of Humankind's misery. However, I feel that the facts would not bare this out. Wars have been fought by women in Amazon-type societies, with just as much cruelty or more than male dominated societies (Histroy Channel).
Sexual abuse, if you mean rape and unwilling sex partners is not a sex act, it is an act of violence. The abuser uses sex as a weapon to hurt the victim. Women, not having a pointed instrument to perform the same way use other means to abuse their victims. It is a mental illness, not testosterone that causes sexual abuse.
I know that having less testosterone flowing arund would be nice, I'll agree to that. Common displays of incrediable stupidity would shrink to virtually nothing.
