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I think both of you are building up the notion that we are built for bullying, which I say is true. We are social and emotional creatures first and rational cre
by vacuity 2y ago
I think both of you are building up the notion that we are built for bullying, which I say is true. We are social and emotional creatures first and rational creatures second. The solution requires people standing up and being firm but respectful and self-critical. If that use of power is considered bullying, so be it, but I'm not sure that terminology is useful. We need to appeal to rational use of force, which is more of an ideal than anything else. It is in our failings to acknowledge or commit to that ideal that we continue to allow bullying.
- navane 2y agoI'm with you on the first half, but I don't understand the language you use from "We need to..." onwards, which gets to the practical application of what we should do.
- vacuity 2y agoWe should be rational creatures first. That isn't really achievable, and I resent that, but I think it's still a goal worth having. And of course one needs power in some form or another, whether that's the capacity for physical violence, social persuasion, funding, etc.. For someone to both be powerful and rational, they would be a force for good. Encourage cultivating both qualities in balance, particularly with "the masses" leveraging social forces instead of being bystanders or accomplices. We shouldn't tolerate, let alone celebrate, anti-intellectualism and force used for self-interest, which is to say, bullying. We need to formulate a different culture that encourages critical thinking, honesty, benevolence, and power.