James wrote: > > Patrick > I absolutely and strongly disagree. > > BTW I'm older a wiser than yesterday: fetish has sexual connetations, fettish does not. > > <feels like otto apologising in 'A Fish called Wanda> If I choose to use windows then the only and remote moral issue is MS use the money I fed them to wreck havoc on the world. Under american law that is their bounden duty. [California introduces a moral corporation] > To try to introduce your fettish as an ethical issue smacks of religious fundermentalism. > > I think a group like us who see the one-true-way risk being sidelined (when there are important issues at stake) if we loose track of the ball and even start to believe that freedom is a moral issue. > Certainly if you try to argue with the PM linux for every kid because Windoze is immoral you are going to find your self ignored. > While this thread drifts OT the basic issue is tremendously important for us as a group. > > IMHO > James >
Hi James, I'm afraid I'm not aware of any spelling of 'fetish' with two 'tt's in either sociology or anthropology (admittedly the former is my area of study and the latter merely a side interest). You're right in that it has more than one meaning. It also means that people attribute mystical or religious meaning and importance to inanimate objects. Such as those who carry statues of Mary, or Jesus or other religious figures and believe they have some attributes beyond the physical. On ocassions some dictionaries may describe it as an obsession and/or irrational attraction to an activity, but it's not a particularly clear clear or precise efinition given that obsession/obsessive is a much better and more accurate definition and already exists within a defined field of study (psychology). As for choosing to use Windows - it's an ethical decision. Any interaction you have with the world and others in it involves an ethical element. It's unavoidable. Thus the choice of an OS is an ethical decision. Buying it or copying it (illegally) is an ethical choice. You are aware of some consequence and of the views of those around you and in the broader community. I'd really suggest having a read. It's quite an interesting subject. There may well be ethical issues surrounding someones fetish, but that doesn't make it religious fundementalism. For example, the Catholic church is replete with fetishes (various icons for example) and those who convert to that religion have undertaken ethical considerations (are the values of this religous group something which I support). Finally I would agree with you that if you are to say there is "ONLY one way" you are starting an ethical discussion and you can risk being marginalised - but that is the risk run by all those who argued against slavery, against corporations being able to tell you what you can do with software, videos, music, books etc that you have bought, supporting (or not) the super tax on mining companies, women's rights, speed limits and so on. It's how you deal with disagreement that marks you out as a whacko or as reasonable - but then one man's freedom fighter... I have no problems with saying that I've chosen a computer operating system on ethical grounds and that it falls in line with my ethical view of the world, my profession and my values in general. By definition, all the decisions you make have an ethical component. :) Regards, Patrick -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
