Apparently, only unnatural freaks ever leave the bathroom door open. And some other stuff's in there too, be warned.
Jan. 9th, 2005
Star Wars may be about freedom, but waiting by yourself for 22 weeks to buy tickets? That's not freedom. That's enslavement to Lucas. Sad.
Remember how in Discworld, astrology is described as "cutting-edge" because of the fact that the constellations keep changing? Read the link. I guess this makes me a Capricorn, right?
Admittedly, a lot of this is just me pot-stirring, but...
Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that ethics and morals aren't set in stone! Honestly, you'd think everybody had exactly the same ideas about right and wrong.
People have decided any number of contradictory things about morality. This culture practices cannibalism, that culture is vegetarian. This person says abortion is wrong, that person says it's okay. Here we say murder is wrong, there we say that the death penalty is right. It's wrong not to be this religion, unless it is your own religion that is wrong.
Wizards do a lot of things which conflict with my ideas about right and wrong. Most notably, they modify people's memories without their consent, and use mind-tricks to keep people away from where they're not wanted. Clearly, wizards do not share my ethical system. With that said, why should they share anybody else's? What purpose does it serve to hold to "children belong with their parents, always"? I can think of a number of reasons why, in the context of the books, that would be a false idea. Squibs are unfortunate individuals, torn between the magical and non-magical worlds. If they were raised as muggles, they'd be happier (at least, I can see this idea in the magical mind). Wizards raised by muggle parents are slightly behind when they start school, and are, again, torn between worlds. There are many wizardly orphans who could use wizardly homes instead of being consigned, as Tom Riddle was, to a muggle orphanage. There are many muggles who are orphaned at infants, they too would likely appreciate a good muggle home in exchange for the wizardly world getting a wizard child. Everybody profits - if you discard the idea that children belong with their parents, no matter the cost.
I'm not even getting into the strawmen here. Maybe if you think that's right, you think murder is right, huh, huh??? Um, no? But in what I was discussing, nobody dies. Let's try to stay on topic, shall we? And let's not begin with "sane cultures do this". We're not judgmental, are we? Well, yeah, we kinda are. Clearly, the word "sane" is predefined to mean "agreeing with what I believe". Three comments to get from interesting discussion to illogical chaos. That's gotta be some kind of record.
Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks that ethics and morals aren't set in stone! Honestly, you'd think everybody had exactly the same ideas about right and wrong.
People have decided any number of contradictory things about morality. This culture practices cannibalism, that culture is vegetarian. This person says abortion is wrong, that person says it's okay. Here we say murder is wrong, there we say that the death penalty is right. It's wrong not to be this religion, unless it is your own religion that is wrong.
Wizards do a lot of things which conflict with my ideas about right and wrong. Most notably, they modify people's memories without their consent, and use mind-tricks to keep people away from where they're not wanted. Clearly, wizards do not share my ethical system. With that said, why should they share anybody else's? What purpose does it serve to hold to "children belong with their parents, always"? I can think of a number of reasons why, in the context of the books, that would be a false idea. Squibs are unfortunate individuals, torn between the magical and non-magical worlds. If they were raised as muggles, they'd be happier (at least, I can see this idea in the magical mind). Wizards raised by muggle parents are slightly behind when they start school, and are, again, torn between worlds. There are many wizardly orphans who could use wizardly homes instead of being consigned, as Tom Riddle was, to a muggle orphanage. There are many muggles who are orphaned at infants, they too would likely appreciate a good muggle home in exchange for the wizardly world getting a wizard child. Everybody profits - if you discard the idea that children belong with their parents, no matter the cost.
I'm not even getting into the strawmen here. Maybe if you think that's right, you think murder is right, huh, huh??? Um, no? But in what I was discussing, nobody dies. Let's try to stay on topic, shall we? And let's not begin with "sane cultures do this". We're not judgmental, are we? Well, yeah, we kinda are. Clearly, the word "sane" is predefined to mean "agreeing with what I believe". Three comments to get from interesting discussion to illogical chaos. That's gotta be some kind of record.
Minor problem...
Jan. 9th, 2005 03:40 pmI hate having an odd number (with a few exceptions) of comments on my entries. This effects, sometimes, whom I answer. Sorry.
And then sometimes I'm all non-caring. Why is that, anyway?
And then sometimes I'm all non-caring. Why is that, anyway?
The Wraith, as far as I can tell, are perfectly correct. They have to eat, or they die. What, exactly, do we expect them to do? Commit mass suicide because they can't go vegetarian?
Not, of course, that us defending ourselves is a bad thing, just that it's unfair to paint them as the bad guys when they don't seem to have much of a choice in the matter.
On the other hand, I'm a bit curious as to what they ate before humans wandered into their galaxy... maybe I missed something?
Not, of course, that us defending ourselves is a bad thing, just that it's unfair to paint them as the bad guys when they don't seem to have much of a choice in the matter.
On the other hand, I'm a bit curious as to what they ate before humans wandered into their galaxy... maybe I missed something?
Thanks, ![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
arikatt
Jan. 9th, 2005 08:36 pm
If they can do it, why not us?
Okay. Forget moving to another country. I agree with this idea - I should make my own country! Who's with me?
Okay. Forget moving to another country. I agree with this idea - I should make my own country! Who's with me?