Dnjscott's Xanga

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Wed, 04 Aug 2004 03:32:07 GMT

Principles Vs. Pragmatism

Something I thought of today-or read somewhere, and think I thought of it-was a distinction of Principles and Pragmatism. To make a sweeping generalization, I think what we call 'right wing' people are too obsessed with Principle-they often support policies without really thinking about the people that will be hurt by them, just because they are the right thing to do.

On the other hand, 'left wing' people tend to be all about pragmatism-let's just keep everybody fed and happy. Sometimes, though, they support things that will hurt people and society in the long run, to make them feel better now.

Anyway, just a thought...

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Wed, 04 Aug 2004 03:31:49 GMT

Principles Vs. Pragmatism

Anyway, just a thought...

Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Wed, 04 Aug 2004 00:03:22 GMT

Catch Phrases/Sound Bites

One unfortunate aspect of the polarization of our society, I think, is that people argue using catch phrases, or sound bites... some people sound like tape recorders, ejecting random statistics or arguments that have nothing to do with the topic into any argument with a dreaded 'liberal', 'conservative', or 'fundamentalist'...

It's a lot easier to come up with catchy little sound bites, and label the other person, then to actually listen to what they say, and try to deal with it... We all do it, of course, I just thought I'd complain about it, I guess...

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

Tue, 03 Aug 2004 21:46:42 GMT

More!

Eh, I should post more-I have this link posted too many places. Unfortunately, though, writing the book and going to school, along with working and family stuff, tends to eat the old brain.

But, what's going on in the world? I'm getting pretty sick of the election stuff already-seems like there's got to be something more important going on, especially so many months out. But, that's Democracy, take it or leave it, I guess.

It's strange to think about how much the rest of the (non-western) world, who worry about being killed, have no modern medicine, and have to scrape for food, must think about stuff like this... They must think its pretty stupid. Another reason not to like America, sigh.

Saturday, July 10, 2004

Sat, 10 Jul 2004 08:53:09 GMT

Cynical

The internet's starting to make me cynical, I think. I just get sooo tired of seeing the same old arguments and catchphrases sometimes.... and everyone uses them like they're new! Especially skeptical/atheist arguments... I've heard about pi being 3 and whatnot for what seems like decades... I end up going off on people, as if they personally are the ones who annoyed me, which isn't very fair. I have to be more patient.

Thursday, July 08, 2004

Thu, 08 Jul 2004 20:27:21 GMT

History

Do you ever wish that you could find a fair history book? Oh, believe me, I know that America has done some terrible things-all countries have, and people do terrible things every day-but, hate it or not, America has been the vanguard of democracy in the world, a system which has given freedom to a lot of people. But, do people even care about freedom, really? Most people seem to define freedom as being able to do what you want to do, when you want to do it. Technically, that's better defined as 'license'.

Would most people give up their freedom, as long as they could still enjoy themselves, and had food on the table? I think so-I personally would probably have trouble caring about what the government did as long as me and mine were taken care of-I wrote a book about it, sort of...

But, anyway, I'm just saying... I don't want to read the 'America kicks ass!' history book written by right-wingers, or the 'America is the worst ever!' book written by left wingers... But, who has a fair take?

Wednesday, July 07, 2004

Wed, 07 Jul 2004 00:35:39 GMT

Topics

What are good things to talk about? I've become too cynical about politics over the years to want to talk about it much, and religious discussions tend to go bad on the internet fast... I suppose that I'll just post whatever comes to mind, hopefully without starting as many fights as, say Squidi/Sean Howard does.

http://www.squidi.net

Now, I really like this comic, and I like the blog OK, but man, the proprieter sure can't go too long without picking a fight without somebody.

Hopefully blogging won't fill me with unwarranted feelings about my own genius, if I have any. Or, so it goes...

Wednesday, July 07, 2004

Wed, 07 Jul 2004 00:28:46 GMT

Arguments, Continued

Here's an example, quoted from evangelicaloutpost.com-don't necessarily take my links as indicicative of my politics or religious beliefs or anything-I'm not even sure what an "Evangelical" Christian is, I'm happy with orthodox with a small 'o', and, full disclosure, I emailed Joe Carter@ EP to ask him what it meant, and he never answered me. Anyway, here we go...

"Thanks Kevin. I can always count on you to bring up some stupid talking point that was debunked months ago. Re: the "I voted for it and then against it," commment, you are aware, of course, that Bush also voted for and against the very same bills Kerry referred to. Right, Kevin? You are aware of that? Or do I need to send you the links? Let me know."

OK, now, this guy may be making a good point, BUT, he was such a jerk about it that I couldn't help posting and making fun of him-Bush doesn't vote on anything, he's the Prez. Now, if you care about the actual point being discussed, fine; I don't know if words exist for how little I care-miniscule, insignificant, and disinteresting come to mind-about this actual substantive point, i.e. what did the people involved say at any given point.

I do happen to think, though that it is a good example of useless, mean-spirited arguing on the internet. If this guy wasn't trying to utterly destroy the other guy in this thread, his error wouldn't be so glaring, etc etc.

Oh, the site is http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com

Tuesday, July 06, 2004

Tue, 06 Jul 2004 22:39:56 GMT

Arguing

I don't really like arguing, do you? Oh, sure, I can do it if I have to, and it is a good way to exchange ideas and figure things out sometimes, but, especially on the internet, it seems to lead to hurt feelings and resentment more than mutual understanding.

A lot of people argue in forums or blog comments sections, and I'm pretty sure that both sides usually think that they won. I think there should be a middle ground between people being afraid to disagree and forum flame wars and trolling, but I'm not sure that I know what it is...

Tuesday, July 06, 2004

Tue, 06 Jul 2004 20:40:45 GMT

New Beginning!

Well, here's a new beginning. I found out that Ex Nihilo, my old title, was taken, so I changed to something else that I thought was more literary-Marcel Proust, a French author who wrote things like...

"Combray

For a long time, I would go to bed early. Sometimes, no sooner would my candle be out than I would close my eyes so quickly that I didn't even have time to say to myself, "I'm falling asleep." And, a half-hour later, the idea that it was time to try and sleep would awaken me; I wanted to put down the book I thought I was still holding, and blow out my light; even asleep, I had gone on thinking about what I had been reading, but these thoughts had taken a strange turn; it seemed that it was I myself who was the subject of the book: a church, a string quartet, the conflict between François I and Charles Quint. This belief went on for a few seconds after I awakened; it didn't surprise me, but weighed down my eyes like scales ??? and kept them from realizing that the candle was not lit. Then these thoughts started becoming unintelligible, like the thoughts of a previous existence after metempsychosis; the book's subject slipped away from me, I was free to focus on it or not ???; I could then see again, and I was truly surprised to find all around me gentle darkness, relaxing to my eyes, but, perhaps even more so, to my mind, to which it seemed like something without cause ???, incomprehensible, like some truly obscure thing. I would wonder what time it was; I would hear trains whistling, nearby or far away, sounding like birds calling in a forest, noting distances ???, telling me about the expanse of deserted land where a traveller was being rushed to the next station; and the path he followed would be etched in his memory by the excitement of new places, new things, the recent conversations and farewells under unknown lamps that followed him through the nocturnal silence, by the pleasant feeling of soon returning home."

His work was about understanding human thought processes, and filled a great number of volumes. Basically, its an apology in advance for stream-of-conciousness rambling.

http://www.mcelhearn.com/proustdrafts.html was the source for that excerpt, by the way.