5 ms·

A flock is, after all, how you refer to sheep.

by MrVandemar 3y ago

mmmpop 3y ago
[dead]
SkyMarshal 3y ago
Also birds…
ecshafer 3y ago
And? The comparison is on purpose. The idea of a shepherd and their flock has numerous references in the bible and is used as allegory, which pre-modern people would've understood.
- MrVandemar 3y ago
  Whether Biblical or modern, I find the metaphor particularly apt: to describe a group of people easily led, raised for exploitation and slaughter.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - zer8k 3y ago
    There’s always one of these edgelords lurking about. You must be fun at parties.
    - MrVandemar 3y ago
      I had to go look that word up. No ... I don't think that describes me, but I'll admit I do have some broadly nihilistic/athiestic views and I tend to cynicism. No, I'm actually not fun at all at parties: I'd rather read a good book than mingle and attempt to engage with intoxicated dullards.
  - MongoTheMad 3y ago
    Wow, I really like the contrasted view here. It is definitely thought provoking. One day, I may use it in a book or blog post. How shall I cite your thought? Link here?
    - defrost 3y ago
      Bear in mind you'd be linking to (apparently) the first place you became aware of a thought that literally dates back as far as sheperd | flock metaphors in any book of the bible.
      - MongoTheMad 3y ago
        Perhaps I was a bit unclear. I was not referencing the general idea of raising sheep, but the negative end result - slaughtering (i.e. malicious). The major Christian view of raising sheep is in the positive. It was unique experience for me to read this in the negative light here.
        defrost 3y ago
        It's genuinely difficult for me to work out parts of your comment. > The major Christian view of raising sheep is in the positive. > but the negative end result - slaughtering I'm in Australia, in a rural area surrounded by a lot of wheat and sheep farmers, many of them with christian backgrounds, many actual christians. All regard raising sheep as a positive enterprise that brings in revenue through wool and meat - it always ends in slaughter (save when there's a drought | fire | etc. when there is unintended / uncontrolled death). That's farming livestock for you, flocks always veer towards an end by slaughter. Now, outside of any Christian | biblical viewpoint there has always been cynicism about religion, about charismatic self declared prophets leading lambs to the slaughter in holy wars. It's not a parallel unique or original to the GP comment here on HN .. and indeed it's such a straightforward observation that shepards only invest effort in protecting flocks from wolves so that they themselves can harvest the flock instead of the wolves that I often wonder why christians even use such imagery.
    - MrVandemar 3y ago
  - xboxnolifes 3y ago
    > raised for exploitation and slaughter Yup. You are born, grow, work, pay taxes, and die.

A flock is, after all, how you refer to sheep.

mmmpop 3y ago

[dead]

SkyMarshal 3y ago

Also birds…

ecshafer 3y ago

And? The comparison is on purpose. The idea of a shepherd and their flock has numerous references in the bible and is used as allegory, which pre-modern people would've understood.

MrVandemar 3y ago
Whether Biblical or modern, I find the metaphor particularly apt: to describe a group of people easily led, raised for exploitation and slaughter.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- zer8k 3y ago
  There’s always one of these edgelords lurking about. You must be fun at parties.
  - MrVandemar 3y ago
    I had to go look that word up. No ... I don't think that describes me, but I'll admit I do have some broadly nihilistic/athiestic views and I tend to cynicism. No, I'm actually not fun at all at parties: I'd rather read a good book than mingle and attempt to engage with intoxicated dullards.
- MongoTheMad 3y ago
  Wow, I really like the contrasted view here. It is definitely thought provoking. One day, I may use it in a book or blog post. How shall I cite your thought? Link here?
  - defrost 3y ago
    Bear in mind you'd be linking to (apparently) the first place you became aware of a thought that literally dates back as far as sheperd | flock metaphors in any book of the bible.
    - MongoTheMad 3y ago
      Perhaps I was a bit unclear. I was not referencing the general idea of raising sheep, but the negative end result - slaughtering (i.e. malicious). The major Christian view of raising sheep is in the positive. It was unique experience for me to read this in the negative light here.
      - defrost 3y ago
        It's genuinely difficult for me to work out parts of your comment. > The major Christian view of raising sheep is in the positive. > but the negative end result - slaughtering I'm in Australia, in a rural area surrounded by a lot of wheat and sheep farmers, many of them with christian backgrounds, many actual christians. All regard raising sheep as a positive enterprise that brings in revenue through wool and meat - it always ends in slaughter (save when there's a drought | fire | etc. when there is unintended / uncontrolled death). That's farming livestock for you, flocks always veer towards an end by slaughter. Now, outside of any Christian | biblical viewpoint there has always been cynicism about religion, about charismatic self declared prophets leading lambs to the slaughter in holy wars. It's not a parallel unique or original to the GP comment here on HN .. and indeed it's such a straightforward observation that shepards only invest effort in protecting flocks from wolves so that they themselves can harvest the flock instead of the wolves that I often wonder why christians even use such imagery.
  - MrVandemar 3y ago
- xboxnolifes 3y ago
  > raised for exploitation and slaughter Yup. You are born, grow, work, pay taxes, and die.