i see your point, colin. i believe that good or bad are very relative terms. philosophers have been reflecting upon these concepts for centuries and no one has come up with a way to determine whether someone's good or bad per se (including ourselves). i am often surprised at friends who have almost everything in common with me but who find some people NICE that i think sinister and BAD to the core. how can we differ so radically? i have come to a point in my life in which i give everybody the benefit of the doubt. it was either that or constant lack of trust. because of my trusting nature i have been had many times but i have also benefited from knowing some people better than my first impression would have allowed. i have also realized that culture plays a big role in people's attitude. and then there are objective instances (where no cultural assumption or circumstance except selfishness and bad intentions could justify their actions) in which people are downright mean, and i just give them shit then and there. but many times, arguments or situations in which i feel hurt or disrespected arise from simple misunderstandings (it has happened to me on the list and in my travels) so i often give people and myself another chance. i judge only on the grounds of evidence and the willingness of the other party to strike a balance. recalcitrance or persistent rudeness are however clear signs that it's time to kick someone in the ass and move on. wally
-----Mensaje original----- De: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] nombre de colin Enviado el: Lunes, 17 de Marzo de 2003 04:13 p.m. Para: joni Asunto: good? njc YET if I start to 'judge' people as 'good' or 'bad', where does the authority come from to do that? whos is to say i am 'good' or 'bad'? Myself? well i know people who think they are 'good' and they do and and say evil. They think only of themselves, don't care about others as long as they have what they want. colin
