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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Philosopher who wrote (41567)	6/22/1999 6:21:00 PM
From: Jacques Chitte	Respond to of 108807

Well considering my penchant for strong prescription medications - that is not unlike spearfishing in a barrel! Perhaps I can offer an extension and clarification. In my opinion the specification of the [nature and degree of] civilization in society vs. individual is very important. If we argue about the relative civilized nature of individuals - we run into issues of all the old vices - elitism, prejudice, yada yada. So to speak of individuals in this context is more likely to be controversial and even inflammatory. Talking about the relative civilization of societies is less controversial, because the question of individual dignity is disarmed and diffused across a consensually assigned social envelope. Also, the laws and mores of a society are much more likely to be recorded and subject to some historical analysis than the ethics (morals) and lifestyle priorities of an individual or many individuals. We become much less dependent on anecdotal "I was there" type testimony. So if it's all right I'd like to constrain the topic to the relative civil merit of societies - it gives us plenty to discuss and keeps the discussion from deteriorating ad hominem (more correctly ad personam, iddnat right, ladies!) however indirectly or inadvertently. So I reiterate: providing some sort of highly accessible schooling to provide all kids who CAN learn stuff with the foundations of literacy in language, culture, history, science ... is imo a very valuable social goal and the moral duty of any society that can afford it. I yield the barrel, uhm floor. Screen.