Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lane3 who wrote (55860)	8/30/2002 10:17:35 AM
From: J. C. Dithers	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

Well, I think it is a diversion to segue back and forth between positive accomplishments in one's life and behavior that we are ashamed of having people learn about us. Certainly, we are all entitled to as much privacy as we wish to maintain about ourselves. Even for what we perceive as negative things about us, we don't have any obligation to make public acts of contrition. Some of us would say, "that's between me and my God." I myself am a very private person, probably unusually so. At the same time, I have never taken specific steps to conceal some aspects of my past. It is hard for me to tell whether we have any real argument here. I have certainly told lies in my life, and could offer excuses and rationalizations for them, but I would not think them praiseworthy. So far as I can think, my excuses would be that I didn't want to hurt someone's feelings So I'm interested in why you consider it "hardly praiseworthy" to play down such things and try to keep a normal focus in your life. It all hinges on what "such things" are. What about the priests who abused children? What about the child molester who has done his time ("paid his debt") and now wishes to move into your neighborhood? Is it o.k. for them to play down such things as to keep a normal focus? I don't think so. Perhaps motivation is at the heart of the issue. Lies or deceptions for self-gain would always be highly suspect to me. (And self-gain would include being accepted in any kind of community or relationship where the truth about yourself would cause you a problem).