tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post5852542855573782171..comments2024-03-27T03:19:11.216-04:00Comments on Assistant Village Idiot: Patient ExplanationAssistant Village Idiothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-53904177105740842842021-04-17T23:52:05.366-04:002021-04-17T23:52:05.366-04:00The I'm-morally-superior-but-will-indulge-your...The I'm-morally-superior-but-will-indulge-your-ignorance approach is always the first step in a power play, in my experience. <br /><br />On this particular subject though, I am highly experienced with racism in many flavors. I have lived for many years in old-time cotton country, and the habits die hard. Many many years ago in the Bank Teller line, I had an older black man subtly step out of line in front of me, and walk around to the back of the line before I figured out what he was doing. Our county courthouse still had, up to about 30 years ago, the two different water fountains, one plain, one fancy (with a chiller). No signs, though, they were just an artifact of the segregation era. There are a myriad of other things I won't go into, experienced long ago first hand, the way society was structured during that era. Terrible things - and some things remarkably decent. And I've also been lucky enough to live in other countries, to see how they address racism in diverse societies (generally very badly). I've been subjected to unpleasantness myself, in countries where white people make up less than 5% of the population. So yes. I don't think I have much to learn from someone providing helpful moral instruction on racism as learned on their Facebook group about racism. Things are pretty good in modern America, by all the measures I have experience with - with the exception of those trying to amass power and influence, using it as their wedge.Aggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11089648434324058300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-20747589852842053742021-04-17T14:18:40.709-04:002021-04-17T14:18:40.709-04:00Roy Lofquist:
And in a culture increasingly inund...Roy Lofquist:<br /><br />And in a culture increasingly inundated with the voice of Saruman--or rather his real life counterpart...Kororahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208444799799287420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-3532429461467388202021-04-17T10:13:28.619-04:002021-04-17T10:13:28.619-04:00There are many very clever sophists who would lead...There are many very clever sophists who would lead us astray. This does not change the fact that they are evil.Roy Lofquisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16536815900678298041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-49763655080116376352021-04-16T21:01:29.718-04:002021-04-16T21:01:29.718-04:00I am sure that my quick inclination to upend the m...I am sure that my quick inclination to upend the motive game came originally from Lewis, who got it from Chesterton. But both of them say such things so much better than I. Thank you for the quote.<br /><br />It is evidence of one of my favorite sayings of the last few years: "The answer to everything is to read more CS Lewis."Assistant Village Idiothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-51572263926707577652021-04-16T20:06:56.410-04:002021-04-16T20:06:56.410-04:00"The Professor has his own explanation ... he..."The Professor has his own explanation ... he thinks that I am unconsciously motivated by the fact that I ‘stand to lose by social change’. And indeed it would be hard for me to welcome a change which might well consign me to a concentration camp. I might add that it would likewise be easy for the Professor to welcome a change which might place him in the highest rank of an omnicompetent oligarchy. That is why the motive game is so uninteresting. Each side can go on playing ad nauseam, but when all the mud has been flung every man’s views still remain to be considered on their merits. I decline the motive game and resume the discussion." -- C. S. Lewis, "Reply to Professor Haldane"Kororahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06208444799799287420noreply@blogger.com