CAN WE CONSIDER THIS FORUM AS A GLOBAL VILLAGE?

[attofishpi]

Do you believe in peace and forgiveness or do you not?

Of course.

In that case, I forgive you for dissing our village.

Nah, let's kick his teeth in, then forgive him at the local tavern when he buys a few rounds of Ale.

[Gary Childress]

Of course.

In that case, I forgive you for dissing our village.

Nah, let's kick his teeth in, then forgive him at the local tavern when he buys a few rounds of Ale.

Sounds like a plan!

[Immanuel Can]

Do you believe in peace and forgiveness or do you not?

Of course.

In that case, I forgive you for dissing our village.

Sorry, Gary...you don't have a "village." It's a globe. And it's never going to be an add for Coke. People are too different. That's not a comment on what I want, it's a comment on how things are, how they've always been, and how they're bound to always be. To pretend otherwise is just going to lead to all sorts of dangerous and harmful delusions...and I don't want that outcome for anybody.

[Immanuel Can]

Of course.

In that case, I forgive you for dissing our village.

Nah, let's kick his teeth in, then forgive him at the local tavern when he buys a few rounds of Ale.

Pints on me, lads.

Oh, wait...this is all virtual. Well, in that case, a round for the house. It will cost me nothing, and we can all get virtually plastered at no cost to anybody.

That's life in the "global village" pub.

[attofishpi]

Ah yeah, not sure why I put my work boots on.

[Gary Childress]

Of course.

In that case, I forgive you for dissing our village.

Sorry, Gary...you don't have a "village." It's a globe. And it's never going to be an add for Coke. People are too different. That's not a comment on what I want, it's a comment on how things are, how they've always been, and how they're bound to always be. To pretend otherwise is just going to lead to all sorts of dangerous and harmful delusions...and I don't want that outcome for anybody.

I disagree. The harmful and dangerous delusions are the ones spawned by fear and distrust. That's a fact of life, kiddo.

[Immanuel Can]

I disagree. The harmful and dangerous delusions are the ones spawned by fear and distrust.

I'm not sure what you're advocating here: that everybody just have a virtual group hug?

Like the virtual beer, it will be virtual...and equally deficient in substance.

[Gary Childress]

I disagree. The harmful and dangerous delusions are the ones spawned by fear and distrust.

I'm not sure what you're advocating here: that everybody just have a virtual group hug?

Like the virtual beer, it will be virtual...and equally deficient in substance.

Wow! That's about as cynical as it gets. So what's got you so cynical?

[Immanuel Can]

I disagree. The harmful and dangerous delusions are the ones spawned by fear and distrust.

I'm not sure what you're advocating here: that everybody just have a virtual group hug?

Like the virtual beer, it will be virtual...and equally deficient in substance.

Wow! That's about as cynical as it gets. So what's got you so cynical?

It's reality. Right now, you're not drinking beer. You're not having a hug. You're not having a global village. You're imagining a closeness that is an illusion. There's nobody in the room with you, presumably...you're typing into a computer, not singing "I'd like to teach the world to sing..." with a group of hippies in the '60s.

And that's the big difference between things that are virtual and those that are real.

[Gary Childress]

I'm not sure what you're advocating here: that everybody just have a virtual group hug?

Like the virtual beer, it will be virtual...and equally deficient in substance.

Wow! That's about as cynical as it gets. So what's got you so cynical?

It's reality. Right now, you're not drinking beer. You're not having a hug. You're not having a global village. You're imagining a closeness that is an illusion. There's nobody in the room with you, presumably...you're typing into a computer, not singing "I'd like to teach the world to sing..." with a group of hippies in the '60s.

And that's the big difference between things that are virtual and those that are real.

I've had some pretty hellacious psychoses and a pretty lonely and messed up childhood, but I can still feel some degree of connection with people over the Internet. It's a shame you don't feel that way too. Anything I can do to cheer you up?

[Immanuel Can]

I can still feel some degree of connection with people over the Internet.

What one can "feel" and what is real are two very different questions, of course. What you can get attached to is merely a style of writing. About all the people here, you have no idea of body, of face, of inflection, of voice, of history, of relationship, of social activity...most of what makes us human. It is enough for us if people share with us good conversation and good ideas. There's no more actually to be had on this site, because it has no mode in which to transmit anything more.

[Gary Childress]

I can still feel some degree of connection with people over the Internet.

What one can "feel" and what is real are two very different questions, of course. What you can get attached to is merely a style of writing. About all the people here, you have no idea of body, of face, of inflection, of voice, of history, of relationship, of social activity...most of what makes us human. It is enough for us if people share with us good conversation and good ideas. There's no more actually to be had on this site, because it has no mode in which to transmit anything more.

Everything is in our minds even when we're face to face. So we may as well be a "village" here. It's better than being a war zone.

[Immanuel Can]

Everything is in our minds even when we're face to face.

Well, no. Our opinion or impression is in our minds, but if the person is right there, really incarnate in our presence, they will not dance to our imaginary tunes. We'll have to deal with a real person, not merely what we imagine them to be.

[Age]

Of course.

In that case, I forgive you for dissing our village.

Sorry, Gary...you don't have a "village." It's a globe. And it's never going to be an add for Coke. People are too different. That's not a comment on what I want, it's a comment on how things are, how they've always been, and how they're bound to always be. To pretend otherwise is just going to lead to all sorts of dangerous and harmful delusions...and I don't want that outcome for anybody.

Obviously this one, still, does not yet know where views, and its beliefs, come from.

[Age]

In that case, I forgive you for dissing our village.

Sorry, Gary...you don't have a "village." It's a globe. And it's never going to be an add for Coke. People are too different. That's not a comment on what I want, it's a comment on how things are, how they've always been, and how they're bound to always be. To pretend otherwise is just going to lead to all sorts of dangerous and harmful delusions...and I don't want that outcome for anybody.

I disagree. The harmful and dangerous delusions are the ones spawned by fear and distrust. That's a fact of life, kiddo.

And, one of the most harmful and dangerous delusions are the ones like, 'We can never live in peace'.

Which, by the way, is a Truly a sued and contradictory view, and belief, to have when one is a so-called and self-proclaimed "christian".