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

To: TimF who wrote (61248)	10/5/2002 5:30:58 PM
From: epicure	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 82486

Decent is one of those words that different people see differently. For example some people think people who have a different religion are not "decent". Other people seem to be able to find indecency in people of differing political ideologies. So I don't know if I would even want to use the word "decent"- but reasonable you can certainly make a case for. Ayn's philosophy is very rational, and certainly appeals to reason, and seems to reinforce reasonable actions, and a calculus behind action involving rational choices. So while I'm not sure anything on this Earth can be guaranteed to promote decency, which may or may not exist, reasonableness does seem to me something that can be facilitated. On the other hand, maybe reasonableness is as relative as decency. I don't see it that way, but other minds might.

To: TimF who wrote (61248)	10/5/2002 5:57:30 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

I'm not sure it really facilitates being reasonble and decent, but it doesn't get in the way. I do think it facilitates it, at least compared to the alternative. With the alternative, you have all that petty keeping score to get in the way of being nice. All the grudges and resentment, etc. If you obviate that, if you don't expect anything in return, I think it's easier to be nice. Note that I switched from "decent" to "nice" in deference to X's objection. I think it's a whole lot easier to be nice if you don't concern yourself with who had more kids and got more wedding presents. Or apologies. Or whatever. But perhaps that's just me.