I would still emphasize personal growth as the antidote for it. It seems like you are talking about the phenomenon of BSing as a social ill that must be combated, like gambling addiction.
If that is the case, OK, but I don't think the BSers can be stopped on their own terms, because of what I said earlier. Barring that, if people are taken in by what a BSer says, it just becomes a lesson for them further down the infinite road. The third alternative is to meet the BSer head on, each and every time, but I don't see that as all that useful - doesn't modify the BSer behavior, and does little to change anyone else's mind. Are they any other options? --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@...> wrote: > > While I wouldn't argue against this on the metaphysical > level, I'd just point out that it's going to be awhile > before we all come to know ourselves. In the meantime, > on the practical level, bullsh*tting does a great deal > of harm, and we need to learn how to recognize and > fight it on that level. > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "futur.musik" <futur.musik@> wrote: > > > > All that BS is a great challenge to everybody to determine the truth for > > themselves. There will be and always have been those who make stuff up for > > their own self satisfaction. Although it does nothing to further anything, > > except the one person's agenda, there is no way for the BSer to stop their > > behavior, because it comes from a fundamental ignorance of themselves. > > > > The ego is just getting off on how big it feels for the moment, to > > compensate for the inadequacies that run its faux existence. With the ego > > running the show, we are either on top or on the bottom. Naturally, for > > anyone who is primarily ego driven, all of their actions are focused on > > their self satisfaction, their bolstering of "the grand story" of them. Any > > larger attempt to get at the truth for social interaction or learning is > > trumped by the desperate need of the ego for self satisfaction. > > > > Being run by the ego is not a happy place. For one thing, the > > discrimination which is normally used to discern experience, leading to > > learning, becomes perverted, with its main objective being self protection, > > at all costs (a natural result of Maslow's hierarchy - the most basic > > thing, ourselves, our identity, our life, come first, whether we know our > > true selves, or not). There is little learning going on when the ego runs > > the show. It is all about reactively protecting "the grand story". > > > > So, our responsibility is to Know Thyself. By doing this, we avoid the ego > > trap, and also easily recognize it in others, neutralizing their attempts > > at BS, or at any rate, no longer being concerned about what such a voice > > says, knowing its true motive has nothing to do with truth or lying, rather > > that voice is all about protecting "the grand story" of its faux nature. > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "raunchydog" <raunchydog@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > "Both in lying and in telling the truth people are guided by their > > > > beliefs concerning the way things are. These guide them as they endeavor > > > > either to describe the world correctly or to describe it deceitfully. > > > > For this reason, telling lies does not tend to unfit a person for > > > > telling the truth in the same way that bullsh*tting tends to....The > > > > bullsh*tter ignores these demands altogether. He does not reject the > > > > authority of the truth, as the liar does, and oppose himself to it. He > > > > pays no attention to it at all. By virtue of this, bullsh*t is a greater > > > > enemy of the truth than lies are."--Harry G. Frankfurt, "On Bullsh*t" > > > > [asterisks added] > > > > > > > > Judy, thank you for respecting FFLife's delicate sensibilities by > > > > placing a modest fig leaf asterisk on bullsh*t's pooper. > > > > > > I was actually respecting Yahoo's delicate sensibilities > > > (or not respecting them, actually, just figuring it would > > > be safer to cater to them). > > > > > > > Buck appreciates it. Point well taken. Media propaganda keeps > > > > getting worse. Obviously, it's a huge threat to our democracy. > > > > I've never seen so much Republican bullsh*t in a primary. The > > > > clown car just keeps giving. > > > > > > Oh, it's just overwhelming. And it really *is* bullsh*it, > > > as Frankfurt defines it above, not "just" lies. > > > > > > We've got a couple bullsh*tters on FFL as well. They keep > > > reminding me of the Limbaugh/Hannity/Glenn Beck axis, as > > > well as of the candidates themselves. > > > [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ZeVELKTR37s/ScUd9TsYScI/AAAAAAAAACU/XvaOKwyr7\ > > > > h0/S220/foxnews21propaganda.jpg] > > > > > > > > By the way Anglachel is blogging again. > > > > http://anglachelg.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-riverdaughter-says.html > > > > > > Thanks. I'm going to link to Riverdaughter's post because > > > it's relevant to the post Xeno made earlier today about > > > field dependence/independence: > > > > > > http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/sunday-ok-i-think-were-on-to-something-here/ > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/7xv6r7u > > > > > >
