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papabell · 10-25-2005, 09:25 AM

Brianna! <Slap><Slap><Slap> Pay attention!

How many times did you use the word "I" in your last post... count them I'll wait.

I got 12, too.

Feet's point is that your values cannot be automatically applied to people of another culture. It isn't about you. It's about life. The reason we are appalled by the thought of pushing a hook through a dog's nose and not a fish's has to do with our point of view.

We were raised to value a dog's life nearly as much as our own. We grow up with dog's as pets and as friends and the feelings are too personal to let us accept this type of treatment. But, fish... yeah they swim on our counters, but they don't cuddle with us... they don't lick our faces. From our point of veiw, a fish's life has less value. Its just something pretty for the counter. It can't fetch a ball or comfort us when we're sad.

So, what is the difference between hooking a minnow and hooking a dog? It's the point of view, values, stemming from personal experiences that decide right and wrong. There is no absolute truth. The sharkbaiters have applied their values, derived from personal experience we know nothing about, to the situation and acted accordingly. Yes, its disgusting, appalling, and wrong - from our point of view.

But the thing feet and noodle are getting at is that this should make us take a closer look at our values. Why has our life experience allowed us to come to the conclusion that it is ok to hook a fish and eat it? Shouldn't we step out of our own experience and come to a conclusion that is right independant of your point of view?

Now for the punch line... None of this matters.

Feet, Noodle, <Slap><Slap><Slap> Pay attention! There is no absolute truth. There is no moral right. No matter where you draw the line someone else draws it two feet to the left. Societal values, then, must be about either concensus or tyranny. I choose concensus becuase many views are more likely to match mine than one is. I say we feed the sharkbaiters to the hammerheads in Vegas. And my point of view must be right, nothing else makes sense...

10-25-2005, 09:25 AM	#36
papabell now everybody's praying, don't prey on me - gg Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Jose, California Posts: 8	Brianna! <Slap><Slap><Slap> Pay attention! How many times did you use the word "I" in your last post... count them I'll wait. I got 12, too. Feet's point is that your values cannot be automatically applied to people of another culture. It isn't about you. It's about life. The reason we are appalled by the thought of pushing a hook through a dog's nose and not a fish's has to do with our point of view. We were raised to value a dog's life nearly as much as our own. We grow up with dog's as pets and as friends and the feelings are too personal to let us accept this type of treatment. But, fish... yeah they swim on our counters, but they don't cuddle with us... they don't lick our faces. From our point of veiw, a fish's life has less value. Its just something pretty for the counter. It can't fetch a ball or comfort us when we're sad. So, what is the difference between hooking a minnow and hooking a dog? It's the point of view, values, stemming from personal experiences that decide right and wrong. There is no absolute truth. The sharkbaiters have applied their values, derived from personal experience we know nothing about, to the situation and acted accordingly. Yes, its disgusting, appalling, and wrong - from our point of view. But the thing feet and noodle are getting at is that this should make us take a closer look at our values. Why has our life experience allowed us to come to the conclusion that it is ok to hook a fish and eat it? Shouldn't we step out of our own experience and come to a conclusion that is right independant of your point of view? Now for the punch line... None of this matters. Feet, Noodle, <Slap><Slap><Slap> Pay attention! There is no absolute truth. There is no moral right. No matter where you draw the line someone else draws it two feet to the left. Societal values, then, must be about either concensus or tyranny. I choose concensus becuase many views are more likely to match mine than one is. I say we feed the sharkbaiters to the hammerheads in Vegas. And my point of view must be right, nothing else makes sense...