In real life, a balance need be struck. Pure cooperators become suckers. Aggressive defectors become mobsters. Most of us are somewhere in between, I imagine.
Yes, you're quite right. The problem is getting the balance just right. I was raised according to the Thumper's Mother Philosophy.. "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
A minute ago, I just typed out perhaps the angriest post I would ever have posted on S.I. (to be posted on another thread), but before hitting the "submit" button, I cut and pasted the post to the notepad on my desktop and then deleted it. I'll keep it for my own reference, but probably will never post it. Why bother letting twits know what I think of them? It just provides an open invitation for them to post their imbecile responses back to me, so it's better not to bother saying anything at all. The "act" of typing my angry post out was cathartic enough for me. I don't wish to hear the opinions of those whom I deem to be imbeciles.
And that's pretty much how I go through my life. I believe that there's very little to be "won" from "getting the best" of someone. That's what kind of disgusts me about many of the threads on S.I. People seem to think that they have to "win" and that they've actually "won" something by ranting and raving in support of their personal beliefs. In truth, that's just a sign of our times... a sort of illness in the head... somewhat akin to standing on a street corner on top of a soap box, shouting about how God is going to strike someone down for this or that... There's a name for those kinds of people.. and a place too. IMO, better not to go there. My beliefs are my own, and I live the way I wish to. Which is why, I suppose, I'm very glad to be living here in Canada and not any place else. Any place. Here, I can be a "kind cooperator" without having to concern myself with "balance" and being made of sucker of by the "aggressive defectors" among the pack. And besides, I believe that we have the best clouds and skies of just about anywhere.
Well, I dunno if this post had much to do with kindness, but I think so.
croc |
