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Whether you believe in it or not, read the Bible. It is full of symmetry. So much symmetry that it will bring one thing into sharp focus: that all of the awfu

Whether you believe in it or not, read the Bible. It is full of symmetry. So much symmetry that it will bring one thing into sharp focus: that all of the awful qualities you recognize in other people are every bit as prevalent--if not more so--in yourself. Not going to have much luck taking the needle out of the world's eye while the plank is still in your own.

yesenadam 8y ago
So the OP is a racist sociopathic jerk? That seems to follow from what you say. Also I don't know what u mean by 'symmetry'.
- jstewartmobile 8y ago
  Geometric symmetry, reciprocity, karma, yin-and-yang... call it what you will. We are not all that different. "Takes one to know one..." Just saying that very few people are actually as blameless and de-clawed as they imagine themselves to be. If OP ever acquired enough power to not really give a shit what anyone else thinks, I'd put my money on him becoming every bit as nasty. Not so sure on racism and sociopathy though. There are so many ways to be a jerk. If we want to go in the other direction with this, Nietzsche's "slave morality" comes to mind.
  - yesenadam 8y ago
    Hi. Well, I've never heard that called symmetry. Trying to work out what you mean: "Geometric symmetry, reciprocity, karma, yin-and-yang... call it what you will" seems to be a list of a whole lot of totally different things, as if they're the same thing? Then it sounds like you just mean, "People are the same/similar to each other." I guess that's usually called 'equality' or 'similarity' or something. Uh and "Takes one to know one" sounds like a whole other thing too. The other matter: In reply to People are usually being jerks, not thinking about others, supporting racist ideas, voting to put psychopaths in power.., you actually said all of the awful qualities you recognize in other people are every bit as prevalent--if not more so--in yourself - So I take that as meaning, in this case, "You are as much a jerk, a sociopath, a racist, as them, if not more so". If it doesn't mean that, why say it? It's easy to say biblical platitudes without facing/admitting the actual meaning in the world, on a particular occasion, like this. If that's not true, then maybe what you said isn't right - that thing about all of the awful qualities you recognize in other people are every bit as prevalent--if not more so--in yourself. Maybe you think that because something like it's in the bible, it must be right. Well, I guess this is a good example of "We are not all that different" - what you explained you mean in the end makes total sense. (Not sure about the last paragraph..Nietzsche is a good friend!)
    - jstewartmobile 8y ago
      This is not biblical platitudes. This is you being focused on specific manifestations of unkindness and disregard--like racism and sociopathy--rather than the phenomena at large. Like take this quote for example: "Maybe you think that because something like it's in the bible, it must be right." This is either your unkindness and disregard for me personally, for religious people in general, or for all of the above. It's just that the tables have turned to the point where this manifestation is socially acceptable, so you're blind to it. As for the Nietzsche, one has to wonder how many people are against racism due to a deep moral sentiment--like the abolitionists of old? How many are against it because it works against them--like minorities? How many are against purely from the fear of repercussions--the HR department, or society at-large? From what I've seen, people in that first group are an exceedingly rare breed.
      - yesenadam 8y ago
        Ah sorry to..provoke you. I don't know you personally. Don't know why you are suddenly being..unpleasant. I didn't think I was unkind - I did say when you explained you made total sense. The vast majority of my dear friends are christians. And many christians do believe that because something's in the bible, it must be right. So I thought maybe you do too. How that shows unkindness or disregard to you, or blindness, I don't know. By 'biblical platitudes', I meant, well, your point was the 'mote in your neighbour's eye, beam in your own', right? That's why you were saying every bad thing they saw in someone else, the same or worse was in them? Maybe I'm wrong about that. I was focused on specifically what you said. Sorry if you don't want to face the implications of that. I'll try to forget about it too, I guess. Maybe we aren't so alike? Good luck.
        jstewartmobile 8y ago
        Nothing personal here. Just using your words to illustrate my point. They seemed rather snarky in print.

yesenadam 8y ago

So the OP is a racist sociopathic jerk? That seems to follow from what you say. Also I don't know what u mean by 'symmetry'.

jstewartmobile 8y ago
Geometric symmetry, reciprocity, karma, yin-and-yang... call it what you will. We are not all that different. "Takes one to know one..." Just saying that very few people are actually as blameless and de-clawed as they imagine themselves to be. If OP ever acquired enough power to not really give a shit what anyone else thinks, I'd put my money on him becoming every bit as nasty. Not so sure on racism and sociopathy though. There are so many ways to be a jerk. If we want to go in the other direction with this, Nietzsche's "slave morality" comes to mind.
- yesenadam 8y ago
  Hi. Well, I've never heard that called symmetry. Trying to work out what you mean: "Geometric symmetry, reciprocity, karma, yin-and-yang... call it what you will" seems to be a list of a whole lot of totally different things, as if they're the same thing? Then it sounds like you just mean, "People are the same/similar to each other." I guess that's usually called 'equality' or 'similarity' or something. Uh and "Takes one to know one" sounds like a whole other thing too. The other matter: In reply to People are usually being jerks, not thinking about others, supporting racist ideas, voting to put psychopaths in power.., you actually said all of the awful qualities you recognize in other people are every bit as prevalent--if not more so--in yourself - So I take that as meaning, in this case, "You are as much a jerk, a sociopath, a racist, as them, if not more so". If it doesn't mean that, why say it? It's easy to say biblical platitudes without facing/admitting the actual meaning in the world, on a particular occasion, like this. If that's not true, then maybe what you said isn't right - that thing about all of the awful qualities you recognize in other people are every bit as prevalent--if not more so--in yourself. Maybe you think that because something like it's in the bible, it must be right. Well, I guess this is a good example of "We are not all that different" - what you explained you mean in the end makes total sense. (Not sure about the last paragraph..Nietzsche is a good friend!)
  - jstewartmobile 8y ago
    This is not biblical platitudes. This is you being focused on specific manifestations of unkindness and disregard--like racism and sociopathy--rather than the phenomena at large. Like take this quote for example: "Maybe you think that because something like it's in the bible, it must be right." This is either your unkindness and disregard for me personally, for religious people in general, or for all of the above. It's just that the tables have turned to the point where this manifestation is socially acceptable, so you're blind to it. As for the Nietzsche, one has to wonder how many people are against racism due to a deep moral sentiment--like the abolitionists of old? How many are against it because it works against them--like minorities? How many are against purely from the fear of repercussions--the HR department, or society at-large? From what I've seen, people in that first group are an exceedingly rare breed.
    - yesenadam 8y ago
      Ah sorry to..provoke you. I don't know you personally. Don't know why you are suddenly being..unpleasant. I didn't think I was unkind - I did say when you explained you made total sense. The vast majority of my dear friends are christians. And many christians do believe that because something's in the bible, it must be right. So I thought maybe you do too. How that shows unkindness or disregard to you, or blindness, I don't know. By 'biblical platitudes', I meant, well, your point was the 'mote in your neighbour's eye, beam in your own', right? That's why you were saying every bad thing they saw in someone else, the same or worse was in them? Maybe I'm wrong about that. I was focused on specifically what you said. Sorry if you don't want to face the implications of that. I'll try to forget about it too, I guess. Maybe we aren't so alike? Good luck.
      - jstewartmobile 8y ago
        Nothing personal here. Just using your words to illustrate my point. They seemed rather snarky in print.