3 ms·

While I don't agree with his stance on a number of things, I find the consistency and unapologetic nature of posts such as these refreshing. This is the thing I

While I don't agree with his stance on a number of things, I find the consistency and unapologetic nature of posts such as these refreshing. This is the thing I believe. You don't have to, but here's why I think it's wrong not to. A case can be made that they're too set in stone, with no flexibility - but isn't that what makes them principles? They are core beliefs and in absence of fundamentally view-altering events, they seldom see changes after we reach maturity. IMO if you find yourself rationalizing your way around your own principles, then what you have are a set of things you'd like to believe about yourself - which is quite a different thing. For as many years as RMS has been in the public eye, I've never seen him rationalize away his principles for the sake of convenience. Agree with him or not, that's a rare thing and I can't help but respect it.

VladKovac 10y ago
How is that refreshing? This has basically been the natural state of human thinking until maybe around the enlightenment. People used to just say things like "all is water" or "all is fire" in very principled assertive ways all the time. What I find refreshing is the tiny tiny tiny percentage of people that treat their beliefs like a probability distribution that they update very frequently with new empirical and analytic information.
- GrinningFool 10y ago
  But we're not talking about a mis-evaluation of facts or insufficient data to form a proper conclusion. The core belief here is along the lines of "data should not be constrained, and my access and usage of data is nobody's business but mine". People say things like, "all software should be free" but continue to pay the bills by working for a non-free company. They say, "I think DRM is wrong" but many will still buy DRM'd content when they want it badly enough. Coming across someone who holds a firm, clearly defined belief (again, regardless of whether I agree with the belief - that's not related to the point I'm trying to make) and who also adheres to that belief in all aspects of life - that's the refreshing thing.
Aloha 10y ago
I can't say I disagree with him on many points - I just have too much shit to do. I also want stuff that works over purity. He even tacitly acknowledges that he's in a special situation.

VladKovac 10y ago

How is that refreshing? This has basically been the natural state of human thinking until maybe around the enlightenment. People used to just say things like "all is water" or "all is fire" in very principled assertive ways all the time. What I find refreshing is the tiny tiny tiny percentage of people that treat their beliefs like a probability distribution that they update very frequently with new empirical and analytic information.

GrinningFool 10y ago
But we're not talking about a mis-evaluation of facts or insufficient data to form a proper conclusion. The core belief here is along the lines of "data should not be constrained, and my access and usage of data is nobody's business but mine". People say things like, "all software should be free" but continue to pay the bills by working for a non-free company. They say, "I think DRM is wrong" but many will still buy DRM'd content when they want it badly enough. Coming across someone who holds a firm, clearly defined belief (again, regardless of whether I agree with the belief - that's not related to the point I'm trying to make) and who also adheres to that belief in all aspects of life - that's the refreshing thing.

Aloha 10y ago

I can't say I disagree with him on many points - I just have too much shit to do. I also want stuff that works over purity. He even tacitly acknowledges that he's in a special situation.