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Author
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Topic: On feeling sorry for people
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 1 of 300 (341884)
08-21-2006 9:09 AM
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Mangy Tiger wrote this in the discussion of moderation thread
Although it may cause some intemperate reactions on both sides I think the discussion about robinrohan's comment on the old Vets he saw and the reaction it has provoked is an interesting discussion. I agree. Let's see if I can frame this issue in such a way that it is not personal. On the thread entitled "The Boasts of Atheists" I made the following comment:
A few weeks ago I went with my wife to the VA hospital locally (she was signing up for benefits). While she was filling out paperwork, I wandered around. I happened to go out this door into a sort of patio, and there I saw a lot of old men. Many of them were missing limbs. They didn't look like they had much money either. Shabbily dressed. Veterans of some war or other. It was terrible. My heart went out to them. This comment evoked a great deal of negative reaction. I was accused of all sorts of wickedness--of judging, of assuming, of being demeaning, of dehumanizing people and the like. One poster suggested I had no business feeling anything if I wasn't planning on helping these old men. To my mind, these negative comments illustrate a perversion of moral feeling created by this obsession with being politically correct Edited by robinrohan, : No reason given. Edited by robinrohan, : No reason given.
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 3 by ohnhai, posted 08-21-2006 10:38 AM | | robinrohan has replied | | | Message 8 by Brian, posted 08-21-2006 11:32 AM | | robinrohan has replied | | | Message 11 by jar, posted 08-21-2006 11:44 AM | | robinrohan has replied | | | Message 133 by riVeRraT, posted 08-22-2006 9:03 AM | | robinrohan has replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 4 of 300 (341898)
08-21-2006 11:04 AM
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Reply to: Message 3 by ohnhai
08-21-2006 10:38 AM
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Did you stop to ask these people their story? They did not strike me as being in a talkative mood. I was most impressed by their silent, stony stoicism.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 3 by ohnhai, posted 08-21-2006 10:38 AM | | ohnhai has not replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 5 by nator, posted 08-21-2006 11:06 AM | | robinrohan has replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 6 of 300 (341902)
08-21-2006 11:13 AM
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Reply to: Message 5 by nator
08-21-2006 11:06 AM
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It might have been stoicism. Or, it might have been depression. Or deafness. Or the effects of medication. So? It seemed like stoicism to me.
You wouldn't know unless you tried to speak to them. I was in their presence only for a couple of minutes. It was the vision that stuck with me. And anyway, I'm not in the habit of going around asking strangers personal questions.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 5 by nator, posted 08-21-2006 11:06 AM | | nator has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 7 by ohnhai, posted 08-21-2006 11:21 AM | | robinrohan has replied | | | Message 19 by nator, posted 08-21-2006 12:12 PM | | robinrohan has replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 9 of 300 (341910)
08-21-2006 11:41 AM
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Reply to: Message 7 by ohnhai
08-21-2006 11:21 AM
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It’s fine that you noticed them. And that may have changed you. But what would it have cost to let them know that someone other than the nurse who does the daily bloods (how I hate blood tests) noticed their existence.
What a strange comment. I am being criticized for not speaking to them?
Surely even a nihilist can recognise the needs of others? Being a nihilist doesn't have anything to do with recognizing needs. It's a certain viewpoint--an imminently reasonable one, by the way--about the human condition. Edited by robinrohan, : No reason given.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 7 by ohnhai, posted 08-21-2006 11:21 AM | | ohnhai has not replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 10 of 300 (341911)
08-21-2006 11:42 AM
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Reply to: Message 8 by Brian
08-21-2006 11:32 AM
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Do you think Jesus shares your feelings for these people? I don't know, Brian. You're the expert on Christianity, not me.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 8 by Brian, posted 08-21-2006 11:32 AM | | Brian has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 12 by Brian, posted 08-21-2006 11:48 AM | | robinrohan has replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 13 of 300 (341915)
08-21-2006 11:53 AM
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Reply to: Message 11 by jar
08-21-2006 11:44 AM
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You claim that your "heart went out to them", yet you didn't do squat about it So? I'm being criticized for that? That's ridiculous.
You seem to use charges of PC as a shield and a defense, as do many. So far though I have not seen anyone show how anything in any of the "Nobody understands me" threads was based on being Politically Correct. If you look back at the reactions in the "Boasts of Atheists" thread, you will see a very good example of PC at work.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 11 by jar, posted 08-21-2006 11:44 AM | | jar has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 17 by iano, posted 08-21-2006 12:05 PM | | robinrohan has replied | | | Message 18 by jar, posted 08-21-2006 12:05 PM | | robinrohan has replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 14 of 300 (341916)
08-21-2006 11:54 AM
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Reply to: Message 12 by Brian
08-21-2006 11:48 AM
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Well, in your limited knowledge of Christianity do you think Jesus shares your feelings for these people? Isn't that a question one asks a Christian? Why are you asking me?
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 12 by Brian, posted 08-21-2006 11:48 AM | | Brian has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 15 by Brian, posted 08-21-2006 11:57 AM | | robinrohan has replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 16 of 300 (341918)
08-21-2006 12:02 PM
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Reply to: Message 15 by Brian
08-21-2006 11:57 AM
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Because it is your thread.
Oh. Well, I would think that if there were such a being as Jesus, He's probably very compassionate.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 15 by Brian, posted 08-21-2006 11:57 AM | | Brian has not replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 20 of 300 (341925)
08-21-2006 12:15 PM
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Reply to: Message 18 by jar
08-21-2006 12:05 PM
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Please show where in that post I criticized you? You said I didn't "do squat." That sounds like criticism to me. The tone is critical.
And still no support for anything in this or any other thread being Politically Correct, just the normal assertion If you like I can quote those negative reactions from the other thread that jumped all over me for my "dehumanizing" comment about the Veterans. That's PC-style morality.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 18 by jar, posted 08-21-2006 12:05 PM | | jar has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 22 by nator, posted 08-21-2006 12:18 PM | | robinrohan has replied | | | Message 25 by jar, posted 08-21-2006 12:24 PM | | robinrohan has replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 23 of 300 (341929)
08-21-2006 12:21 PM
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Reply to: Message 19 by nator
08-21-2006 12:12 PM
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But unless you know the circumstances, well, you just don't know why they were the way they were. Since we were at a VA hospital, I figured these men were veterans. And I figured that the missing limbs were lost in war. This seems very reasonable to me. I also figured that they did not enjoy losing their limbs. I figured they would rather have had their limbs.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 19 by nator, posted 08-21-2006 12:12 PM | | nator has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 28 by nator, posted 08-21-2006 12:31 PM | | robinrohan has replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 26 of 300 (341933)
08-21-2006 12:25 PM
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Reply to: Message 22 by nator
08-21-2006 12:18 PM
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No, it is your assertion that this is PC-style morality. Well, if you don't want to call it PC, then call it something else. Whatever it is, it's wrongheaded to call my remarks "dehumanizing."
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 22 by nator, posted 08-21-2006 12:18 PM | | nator has not replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 27 of 300 (341935)
08-21-2006 12:31 PM
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Reply to: Message 24 by NeuroCycle
08-21-2006 12:22 PM
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Attacking Robinrohan for a small bit of inaction is a good way to tear him down and make one look better saying, "I would of done it". Thanks, Neurocycle. Your remarks are extremely sensible.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 24 by NeuroCycle, posted 08-21-2006 12:22 PM | | NeuroCycle has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 31 by NeuroCycle, posted 08-21-2006 12:51 PM | | robinrohan has not replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 30 of 300 (341942)
08-21-2006 12:47 PM
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Reply to: Message 28 by nator
08-21-2006 12:31 PM
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However, you have no idea why they were sitting silently.
I'm not certain, if that's what you mean. It was just my impression. I'm not a mind reader. But so what? My feelings were in no way "demeaning."
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 28 by nator, posted 08-21-2006 12:31 PM | | nator has not replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 32 of 300 (341945)
08-21-2006 12:56 PM
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Reply to: Message 17 by iano
08-21-2006 12:05 PM
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Next time you see a mother cling in desparation to the coffin of her dead child as they prepare to bury it in the ground don't bother having "your heart go out to her" - go over and talk to her. Listen to her anguish, row in there alongside her and try and work up the same grief that she has so you can avoid being patronising. Tell her that "time heals all wounds" and the like. Offer to contribute to the costs of the funeral. Like: do something man!
I can't tell if this is sarcastic or not.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 17 by iano, posted 08-21-2006 12:05 PM | | iano has not replied |
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robinrohan
Inactive Member
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Message 33 of 300 (341948)
08-21-2006 1:10 PM
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Reply to: Message 25 by jar
08-21-2006 12:24 PM
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You claim that your "heart went out to them", yet you didn't do squat about it. I think most people would interpret the above remark as quite critical.
| This message is a reply to: | | | Message 25 by jar, posted 08-21-2006 12:24 PM | | jar has replied |
| Replies to this message: | | | Message 35 by jar, posted 08-21-2006 1:25 PM | | robinrohan has not replied |
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