02-09-2018, 08:31 AM | #256 | |
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02-09-2018, 12:07 PM | #257 |
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There are an awful lot of people talking past each other in this thread. Guys, why are you all insisting on there only be one right way to measure or talk about any of this? Having a debate about the definition of evil or conscience really isn't useful when it comes to talking about how we interact with fiction from previous eras.
Works of fiction can be racist/sexist/cruel/whatever for their own time. They can be acceptable for their time and unacceptable by modern standards. They can be amazingly progressive for their time and line up with modern standards, which frankly aren't all that off from what was considered good for the past few centuries. They can be amazingly progressive for their time and come off as incredibly strange by modern standards. They can completely sidestep these issues in any time frame. For my part, I think a multi-axis approach is the most helpful: looking how the work meshed with the morals of the time it was written and how it meshes with what we now know about people and with my moral beliefs. I'm fine reading something that depicts things I don't agree with, but I draw the line at works that support those things or present them in a positive light. They're probably useful for understanding the mindset of the person writing them and the people they were written for, but I'm not an anthropologist or historian so I have no interest in them. |
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02-09-2018, 07:38 PM | #258 | |
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02-09-2018, 08:15 PM | #259 |
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Yes, I think you are right that the majority of the responders took the relativist position. I believe some did say they might draw the line at reading certain books.
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02-09-2018, 08:19 PM | #260 | |
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As the OP, I must say I really like your post. |
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02-09-2018, 08:32 PM | #261 |
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So it's all my fault, huh? I see how you guys are.
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02-09-2018, 08:34 PM | #262 |
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Yes. All of you relativists were absolutely certain my viewpoint was "wrong."
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02-09-2018, 09:01 PM | #263 |
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02-09-2018, 09:23 PM | #264 | |
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I never said your position was wrong. I think I said that I couldn't be as sure of the thing as are you, for the reasons I stated. You know I have mad respect for you, brother. Hitch |
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02-09-2018, 10:32 PM | #265 | |
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I have the highest respect for the work you do in the forums. I was trying to get you to consider the possibility that you might be wrong in your definition of a "person of conscience" and that a more nuanced definition might be more accurate and less judgemental of other people. As regards the evils of slavery, racism etc. we are incomplete agreement. Last edited by Thasaidon; 02-09-2018 at 10:34 PM. Reason: Added missing QM |
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02-09-2018, 11:22 PM | #266 |
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Not quite right. I don't think your viewpoint is wrong. More that most of us are not as comfortable with absolutes as you seem to be. You have what feels right to you so go with that without expecting others to share your beliefs.
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02-10-2018, 05:36 AM | #267 |
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I never have expected others to share my beliefs. But when they're questioned (or opinions are asked for), I feel fully qualified to defend (share) them. As have we all in this thread.
Last edited by DiapDealer; 02-10-2018 at 06:21 AM. |
02-10-2018, 06:37 AM | #268 |
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Overall I think this discussion was handled very well. Most discussions of this nature turn into raging California style forest fires on other forums.
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02-10-2018, 07:34 AM | #269 |
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And I think that everyone who took part in the discussion would fight against anyone who tried to stop you.
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