On December 12, 2002 01:12 pm, Meliton wrote: <snipped at random> Should this be taken off list? Probably matters not since I'm done with this reply. Sorry for wasting the bandwidth.
> > Does this fit your mold of egoism and it's resultant behaviors? > > Yes it does. Are you sure? reference: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=egoism > > > Or is egoism as an answer appearing as too flip, too simplistic to fit the > > record? > > "Egoism" is just a word, I use it a lot because it shocks some people > into not lying to themselves. Too few people. And I do believe that we > all act strictly according to our interests, though not as rational > beings (which we are NOT). Those interests may be (often are) hidden > from us, and we often act in ways that harm us (drugs...) or seem > altruistic (sharing your knowledge of Linux ;). But absolutely every act > of every human being in History, including all the moving ones of > self-sacrifice, are for the actor's benefit. I'm not being cynical here. "shocks some people into not lying to themselves. Too few people." seems rather judgmental does it not? Do you have a gift to understand the reality of anyone other than yourself? "Judge not..." etc. Labels suck. All labels. Not rational? Speak only for yourself. Please. You use the word in it's full Adlerian context. die.: "Everything is all about society and power therein." Adler was an idiot. I don't subscribe to the notion that my insistence on being responsible for myself is a way to make me feel good or to benefit society or help me integrate in any societal context. Quite the opposite in fact since sometimes being brutally honest about an issue feels rather hellishly bad and pisses people off. Ignoring confusion or the lack of desire to ameliorate it however feels worse because I would be breaking a promise. To myself. It's more a lose/lose situation in other words and totally unacceptable. "Enlightened self interest" is something I often hear spouted by individuals of a particular political philosophy and I still find it laughable. My question remains still; is it better to share freely (not force upon) what one knows with others because it's _right_ in one's own mind and 'the question' was asked, or is it better to attempt to weasel some advantage from it? Or condemn it as conceit? I've never been paid for the help I give, have refused payment more than once, don't put it on offer anywhere but do answer when I am able on mailing lists I subscribe to, and the people that I have "helped" locally sought my help of their own accord. I still question whether what I do fits the definition of help in any event, but that's a personal matter between myself and my perfectionist tendencies. I stated at the beginning that I have no illusions about myself. Altruism is a false notion invented by philosophers that can't stand to take the universe straight. I sacrifice nothing to help if I'm able other than a little time, and that's my choice. I also gain nothing from it, and since I've never claimed to be a likeable person to begin with what makes you think I care about anyone's opinion? Feeling good? I can live with myself if I do as I have done, I have nobody that I must needs answer to. "To thine own self be true" but I would add to that aphorism "or you're a fsck-in' idiot." :-) You may be correct about people's burying their collective heads in the sand (or a less sanitary location) but very few of those people use open source software. Not for long anyway. Most of them want others (ie.; government, religious organizations, professional organizations, MICROSOFT, etc.) to make decisions for them, or at least want someone else to "take care of" them and make "the hard choices." I want (and advocate) free choice, unlimited choice, and that's my privilege. I advocate that it should be everyone's. Including yours. Your use of a word not fully understood is a form of egoism by the way. {rhetoric] "If members of the group/union/brotherhood/society/community/church/board/ad nauseum agree in the majority then it must be so, and I don't have to spend time to analyses it." Are you capable of analyzing "it?" What is it? What color? Size? Function? Who told you? How did they know? Are you sure? [\rhetoric] When did being exclusionary ever benefit the human race? I really don't have that much faith in the species frankly. Except "Never understand the power of human stupidity." Addition to the aphorism; Especially in large groups. > > > > > In light of the above; and my sense of obligation to pass on the little > > I've learned, does it benefit *me,* primarily through feeling good about > > it, or is it self preservation to help to teach others to break this > > particular trap? > > Wether your primary reason is "feeling good about it" or "self > preservation", I'm not to know. But I'm glad to see that you agree with me. Sure you know, I've told you. Are you doubting my word? Your privilege. Agree with you? Is English your first language? Benefit is your thing. Self preservation is my selfish motive borne of a (self imposed) sense of obligation to pay in some way for the space I occupy while on this earth. You don't recognize sarcasm? Rhetorical questions make your life difficult? > > > This thing that was started to facilitate military communication (the > > internet) has been deeded to us all for our use. Does it not seem > > therefore that we all have an obligation to learn to use it safely and > > properly, and to protect the right to use it freely? > > > > Is it not a 'battlefield' for freedom? Of expression, ideas, _knowledge_? > > Information exchange without threat of censorship or repression? > > > > Do we not want to control our own lives and the ability to communicate as > > _we_ choose? > > > > Therefore my sense of obligation. What of your egoism now? > > Hello? You really don't relate well to the written (typed/electronically transmitted, rendered by an e-mail client) word at times, do you? The above itemized some of my self imposed obligations and reasoning. What has that to do with any of the four definitions of your word linked earlier? eg.; Where's the conceit? Conceit and the rest of the definitions of that word implies, or states baldly, that one care about an image perceived by others. You're welcome to perceive what you like. I'll go on doing what I wish and ignoring the judgment you've tried to impose on me. Have you not recognized that I couldn't care less whether anyone understands why I try to help on this list or others, and in the city which I reside? > > > [\rant alert] > > Sorry about that, but it seems someone pushed one of my buttons. :-) > > Uh, yeah, sorry. I was brought up in Windows :) [sarcasm] Nooooo!!!! I couldn't tell. [\sarcasm] > > Meliton. Regards; -- Charlie Edmonton,AB,Canada Registered user 244963 at http://counter.li.org These PRESERVES should be FORCE-FED to PENTAGON OFFICIALS!!
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