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Of course everyone is allowed to feel shame or self-censor. I don't think the OP was suggesting it shouldn't be allowed. Personally I don't think that is a par
by dnh44 9y ago
Of course everyone is allowed to feel shame or self-censor. I don't think the OP was suggesting it shouldn't be allowed.
Personally I don't think that is a particularly good way to live though. The mind is our only refuge from the rest of society, and to attempt to censor your mind so it's more acceptable to society seems like a really sick thing to me.
To me it doesn't seem that OP is arguing against self-regulation or self-improvement in general, just self-regulation against conforming to society at large. That isn't to say one's own personal values aren't influenced by the values of society.
- vanderreeah 9y agoWhich is precisely why I added loads of caveats - "sometimes (not always)", "a sector of society one respects (whoever that may be)", "(depending on what they are)". I haven't seen anyone in this discussion suggest that one should conform to (in your words) "society at large". That's just a straw-man.
- dnh44 9y agoThis isn't a debate and my comment wasn't adversarial to yours so I'm struggling to understand how you think I've set up a straw-man to attack your argument. I agreed with your rhetorical question in my first sentence then went on to give an additional opinion.
- vanderreeah 9y agoSorry, perhaps I misread your comment. I thought your second paragraph was disagreeing with my assertion that self-censoring is sometimes a valuable act.
- dnh44 9y agoI wasn't clear at all looking back. I do agree, self-censoring I suppose is what "differentiates us from animals" and what allows us to grow as people. Thinking about it more the whole issue is incredibly complicated.