Perspective, and the lack of it.

[Harbal]

A tattooed thug who goes round beating up Muslims, and a man who would just prefer not to live next door to people of a different culture are both racists. Similarly, someone with a computer full of images of sexually abused infants, and someone in a questionable relationship with a sexually mature 15 year old are both paedophiles. I wonder what happened to our sense of proportion.

[Impenitent]

it was made into law

-Imp

[henry quirk]

I wonder what happened to our sense of proportion.

When did we ever have a sense of proportion?

[Harbal]

I wonder what happened to our sense of proportion.

When did we ever have a sense of proportion?

I'm afraid I can't give you an exact date, henry.

[henry quirk]

I wonder what happened to our sense of proportion.

When did we ever have a sense of proportion?

I'm afraid I can't give you an exact date, henry.

I'm thinkin' it was half past never. on a Dec. 32.

[Iwannaplato]

A tattooed thug who goes round beating up Muslims, and a man who would just prefer not to live next door to people of a different culture are both racists. Similarly, someone with a computer full of images of sexually abused infants, and someone in a questionable relationship with a sexually mature 15 year old are both paedophiles. I wonder what happened to our sense of proportion.

There are no degrees, no context, no mitigation, no gray areas, no complications...just evil and good. Pick your team and start divvying up the world.

[Harbal]

When did we ever have a sense of proportion?

I'm afraid I can't give you an exact date, henry.

I'm thinkin' it was half past never. on a Dec. 32.

I appreciate your taking the time to come and say that, henry, thank you.

[henry quirk]

just evil and good

You're right.

Trick is: separating one from the other (cuz neither is usually overt and wearin' a black or white hat).

[henry quirk]

I'm afraid I can't give you an exact date, henry.

I'm thinkin' it was half past never. on a Dec. 32.

I appreciate your taking the time to come and say that, henry, thank you.

Anytime, guy.

[Iwannaplato]

just evil and good

You're right.

Trick is: separating one from the other (cuz neither is usually overt and wearin' a black or white hat).

I think there's a lot of gray. And then complicated people who aren't gray, but partly wonderul, partly problematic, and a bunch of average stuff thrown in, for example. Whatever hat they wear.

[henry quirk]

just evil and good

You're right.

Trick is: separating one from the other (cuz neither is usually overt and wearin' a black or white hat).

I think there's a lot of gray. And then complicated people who aren't gray, but partly wonderul, partly problematic, and a bunch of average stuff thrown in, for example. Whatever hat they wear.

Well, I think the gray comes from the wool pulled over our eyes.

[Iwannaplato]

You're right.

Trick is: separating one from the other (cuz neither is usually overt and wearin' a black or white hat).

I think there's a lot of gray. And then complicated people who aren't gray, but partly wonderul, partly problematic, and a bunch of average stuff thrown in, for example. Whatever hat they wear.

Well, I think the gray comes from the wool pulled over our eyes.

That happens too.

[henry quirk]

That happens too.

Accord! Semi and temporary, but still, Accord!

[promethean75]

There's an evolutionary advantage to stereotyping and generalizing dangerous phenomena. Which is to say, it's better for an animal to assume the worst about a dangerous enemy than take the time, and risk, to assess the danger and see if it's as bad as it seems. If the animal doesn't stereotype the danger, examines it more closely, and ends up being wrong about it, he may be fucked. But if he does stereotype the danger and ends up being wrong, it's only the danger that's fucked, e.g., the guy with the 15 year old is now condemed by everyone, wrongfully called a diaper sniper, and ostracized forever.

The reason why the herd is able to do this is becuz they overpower the dangers they judged wrongly; 'so what... we were wrong about u, whaddaya gonna do about it, punk?'

What needs to happen is the wrongfully judged danger needs to attack and traumatize the herd so much that they dare not ever do that again. The guy says 'oh, you're gonna lump me in with the worst of sex offenders and destroy my life, eh? Okay, i got sumthin for ya then.'

[Harbal]

There's an evolutionary advantage to stereotyping and generalizing dangerous phenomena. Which is to say, it's better for an animal to assume the worst about a dangerous enemy than take the time, and risk, to assess the danger and see if it's as bad as it seems. If the animal doesn't stereotype the danger, examines it more closely, and ends up being wrong about it, he may be fucked. But if he does stereotype the danger and ends up being wrong, it's only the danger that's fucked, e.g., the guy with the 15 year old is now condemed by everyone, wrongfully called a diaper sniper, and ostracized forever.

The reason why the herd is able to do this is becuz they overpower the dangers they judged wrongly; 'so what... we were wrong about u, whaddaya gonna do about it, punk?'

What needs to happen is the wrongfully judged danger needs to attack and traumatize the herd so much that they dare not ever do that again. The guy says 'oh, you're gonna lump me in with the worst of sex offenders and destroy my life, eh? Okay, i got sumthin for ya then.'

So when we see a sensational and alarming news headline, do you think we should or shouldn't try to determine the truth of the matter before we go into full outrage mode?