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That's a strange conclusion to make from my pretty innocent comment. Projection? Besides, pushing down someone and failing to aid them are not the same thing. I

by tabeth 9y ago

That's a strange conclusion to make from my pretty innocent comment. Projection? Besides, pushing down someone and failing to aid them are not the same thing. I'm surprised there's even disagreement here. Our entire society is based on an implicit caste system. We've involved from animals who use social rankings, etc.

civilian 9y ago
It's not a strange conclusion at all! You're saying that all social problems stem from a desire for superiority, and you're including income inequality as a problem, so anyone who makes more than average is greedy, and you're saying that humans are essentially always guilty of coveting. And to quote your HN profile-- "if you're going to claim something, please cite!" I've gotta turn that around and apply it to your "all social problems stem from a single word: superiority." claim.
- tabeth 9y ago
  1. When I did mention "income inequality"? 2. Your assertion "anyone who makes more than average is greedy" is your own opinion and claim. 3. "saying that humans are essentially always guilty of coveting" is also your own claim, and one that I did not make. In summary, it seems you're projecting some things you believe onto me. Your last portion is well taken, though. Unfortunately for such a grand claim like the one I made, there (practically) can't be a study that irrefutably proves it. However, most of the modern social issues are inherently ones of superiority, including: - Racism - Sexism - Agism Arguably any act that harms anyone else is an act of "superiority." For you must believe your ideology or yourself to be superior in order to invoke it. When there are options there will be comparison, and when there's comparison there must be superiority as there's judgment. To judge is only human.
  - civilian 9y ago
    Ah, cool. I'll absolutely grant that racism, sexism and agism are all acts of superiority. And "superiority" is a really good way to enrapture the idea of these different biases, that makes sense. Buuuuuuut you posted in a thread about _Hunger_. Hunger comes from poverty-- you're right that income inequality is maybe the wrong word for it, I was taking it a step farther. But from the context, it did feel like you were trying to say the poverty comes from people enacting superiority. And #2 and #3 are my trying to derive other moral positions your that assertion-- so let's put them to the side. But cool, I'm glad we came to a closer understanding. I thought you were taking the common anti-capitalist position that "all businesses are evil!" or something.

by tabeth 9y ago

civilian 9y ago

It's not a strange conclusion at all! You're saying that all social problems stem from a desire for superiority, and you're including income inequality as a problem, so anyone who makes more than average is greedy, and you're saying that humans are essentially always guilty of coveting. And to quote your HN profile-- "if you're going to claim something, please cite!" I've gotta turn that around and apply it to your "all social problems stem from a single word: superiority." claim.

tabeth 9y ago
1. When I did mention "income inequality"? 2. Your assertion "anyone who makes more than average is greedy" is your own opinion and claim. 3. "saying that humans are essentially always guilty of coveting" is also your own claim, and one that I did not make. In summary, it seems you're projecting some things you believe onto me. Your last portion is well taken, though. Unfortunately for such a grand claim like the one I made, there (practically) can't be a study that irrefutably proves it. However, most of the modern social issues are inherently ones of superiority, including: - Racism - Sexism - Agism Arguably any act that harms anyone else is an act of "superiority." For you must believe your ideology or yourself to be superior in order to invoke it. When there are options there will be comparison, and when there's comparison there must be superiority as there's judgment. To judge is only human.
- civilian 9y ago
  Ah, cool. I'll absolutely grant that racism, sexism and agism are all acts of superiority. And "superiority" is a really good way to enrapture the idea of these different biases, that makes sense. Buuuuuuut you posted in a thread about _Hunger_. Hunger comes from poverty-- you're right that income inequality is maybe the wrong word for it, I was taking it a step farther. But from the context, it did feel like you were trying to say the poverty comes from people enacting superiority. And #2 and #3 are my trying to derive other moral positions your that assertion-- so let's put them to the side. But cool, I'm glad we came to a closer understanding. I thought you were taking the common anti-capitalist position that "all businesses are evil!" or something.