[4402] in Depressing_Thoughts
Re: gratuitous post - so sue me ;-)
adwright@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (adwright@ATHENA.MIT.EDU)
Tue Mar 8 02:58:23 1994
rptaurie writes:
- Re irrational taboos: would you find frequent, loud belching to be
- rude? Is there any rational reason why anyone would?
In that situation, the loudness/repetition level could annoy someone, could
annoy me, even. But that's sound you're talking about. If it's loud enough
and persistent enough, it can really get in-your-face. But I wouldn't find
the belching in itself to be a rude or offensive thing. Just the sound of
it insofar as it infringes upon my well-being. And, I'd deal with it
however I felt best.
- Is there any rational reason to show respect for the dead?
I would rather, show respect for those mourning the dead. I would empathize
with those experiencing the loss of the dead.
But, in relating to people who are going through this, taboo doesn't enter the
picture. It's simply all about interaction.
But, respect for the dead themselves? I'd have to ask you what you mean by
this.
- Would you mock someone who complained about their mother's grave being
- pissed on?
Nope. But it's not the taboo of "grave-pissing" that I can relate to here.
If there were no physical damage, I would be more concerned with what the
pisser meant by this act, if indeed sie meant anything. In the case of
actual damage, it's vandalism, of course.
- If you're going to live in human society, you're going to have to live
- with irrational notions of [...] etiquette, manners, etc.
I don't plan to "live with" or conform to notions of etiquette that I don't
agree with. Human society could do with a bit of progress, and it starts with
people shrugging off the crap, and moving on.
- Flouting them didn't prove anything except that you were being obnoxious
- (everyone already knows the rules are arbitrary).
What's the point in having them? The rules, I mean.
What do they accomplish? Nothing it seems, except furtherment of the status-
quo, and encouragement of conformity for comfort's sake.
- (Random note: I find it interesting that profanity in writing bothers
- me more than in speech. Hmm.)
That's probably because with speech, it's out-and-gone. With writing, it's
there for as long as you stare at it, and after, to see again.
