Comments on: Iran so far away

By: nicholas gray

nicholas gray — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:08:12 +0000

TerjeP (say Tay-a-pee), does this mean I’ve got lecturn leprosy? AAAHHH!!!

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:40:27 +0000

How you choose to be rubbed is not my responsibility Terje. I suggest you make a different choice.
Sorry for the irrelevant post, but I lol’d

By: TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:03:28 +0000

Nicholas – the reason you no longer fear the lecturn is because you are now more prepared for the task of speaking publicly. You have resources in the way of skills and knowledge that you once lacked. That isn’t wishing away a feeling, it’s removing the cause of the feeling. The fact that you can now stand at a lecturn and talk without fear does not mean that you have learned to wish fear away. Nor would you want to because the feeling we call fear is a very important messenger. As are all feelings. Lepracy is a disease where by people lose the ability to feel pain, the consequence are dire.

By: nicholas gray

nicholas gray — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:47:28 +0000

TerjeP, your comments are true, up to a point. But, as an ex-toastmaster, you are aware that fears can be tamed and turned into positive talents. I no longer fear the lecturn, though once I wouldn’t go near them.

By: TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:18:28 +0000

We each choose our own attitudes.

Yes.

If you choose to feel belittled, make another choice.

Why? There is a difference between feeling belittled and feeling little.

Also I think it is folly to believe feelings are merely a choice. It is like suggesting that when shown the colour green we can choose to see the colour purple. Feelings are an involuntary response to a situation or event. How we interpret and what we do with the feelings is what is significant. So for example if somebody feels fear they could choose to use that signal as a basis for many different courses of action. Ideally they might use it as a signal that they need to be prepared. However pretending that the feeling of fear was a voluntary choice that can simply be wished away isn’t accurate or useful. Likewise if somebody makes a remark that leads you to feel belittled I think it would be silly to ignore that feeling. If you have a feeling then your brain is trying to tell you something.

By: DavidLeyonhjelm

DavidLeyonhjelm — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:35:18 +0000

Yet this is no less true of somebody that manages to make remarks that belittle other people on a regular basis.

If you choose to feel belittled, make another choice. We each choose our own attitudes.

By: Tim R

Tim R — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:16:14 +0000

Tort law focuses too much on compensation and not enough on corrective justice. The increasing trend of “instrumentalism” has been going on for almost 100 years I think.

In the US, they have strict liability for the manufacturing of products. (Almost any accident involves some product)

They also have some mechanism whereby someone found partially at fault may be liable for full damages. (So you settle out of court with some parties, then hit another defendent for the full amount at trial).

These miscarriages of justice are now ingrained in the culture.

So it’s no surprise that Nokia and Seimens get blamed, especially in the US even though this is totally absurd.
Tall poppy syndrome (altruism) out of control IMO.

By: TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:14:58 +0000

David, I’m generally pretty good at ignoring things that might offend others. You seem to have assumed that I was refering to me, when in fact all I did was make a point of comparison regarding observed communication skills. Did I say something that wasn’t accurate?

A ‘c’ or an ’s’ may tell people which is a verb and which is a noun in some instances but context will almost always prove to be a superior indicator. As such my spelling is generally only a communication problem for me in so far as others choose to make judgements about me or about my ideas on the basis of non-standard (inaccurate) spelling. That is their decision and it is also their loss. However obviously it would be naive of me to assume that there isn’t also some cost to me. Yet this is no less true of somebody that manages to make remarks that belittle other people on a regular basis.

In summary: Pot, kettle, black. We can both do better.

By: nicholas gray

nicholas gray — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:21:19 +0000

Well, I think we should be interfering, but my ‘we’ is libertarian individuals, not the groupthink ‘we’ of the Australian community. What a shame that we don’t have a Libintern, like the old Comintern, to spread the good news! And to sell guns and weapons to rebels and separatists!
As for governments, they should not go beyond their borders, ever.
But individuals, you and I, are another story.

By: Jaz

Jaz — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:38:21 +0000

What would you suggest David? That we go over there and “fix” things? I think the historical track record for that speaks for itself.

BTW what are these western liberal values you speak of? Do you think we have some kind of duty to be spreading them around the world or something?