| | [20:19] moritheil: [Someone] is really very smart.
[20:20] moritheil: So, I think [Someone] actually is special.
[20:20] moritheil: But, [Someone] refuses to believe it, and . . . I don't know. [Someone]'s afraid of it being true.
[20:20] moritheil: Because - if that were true - that would mean that a lot of bad stuff happened in [Someone]'s life or to those around [Someone] or to the world - because [Someone] allowed it to happen.
[20:20] moritheil: Because [Someone] didn't stand up and claim [Someone]'s birthright, and didn't arm [themself] against those things.
[20:21] moritheil: So, as a means of not being saddled with this guilt, [Someone] chooses not to believe in [themself] as someone far above normal potential.
[20:21] moritheil: That's how I read [Someone], anyway.
[20:21] SarethIII: Which is another form of denial or avoidance.
[20:21] SarethIII: Set your expectations artificially low.
[20:21] moritheil: I think a lot of psychologists use that, too.
[20:22] moritheil: If expectations are low, complaining stops, and everyone is "happy."
[20:22] moritheil: Except for the quiet feeling that things aren't supposed to be like this . . .
[20:22] SarethIII: Yeah. It's not the real or long term solution to anything.
[20:22] SarethIII: It's a form of resignation.
[20:23] moritheil: I wonder why they don't teach the "die trying" ethic any more?
[20:23] SarethIII: that would require a basis for heroism.
[20:24] moritheil: I think a bias towards heroism is a wonderful thing.
[20:24] moritheil: Provided that it is flexible enough to recognize inobvious heroism.
[20:24] SarethIII: and well, there aren't any compelling public philosophies anymore that lead people to heroism
[20:24] SarethIII: except maybe patriotism, but only among certain classes now it seems
[20:24] SarethIII: In Iran, where you have a robust martyrdom culture
[20:24] SarethIII: you have all these people putting their lives on the line in opposition to the government
[20:25] SarethIII: Our society is very self-absorbed.
[20:26] SarethIII: Heroism requires a general admiration of people who regularly put themselves aside.
[20:26] SarethIII: It occasionally happens in extreme situations, like on 9/11
[20:26] SarethIII: where people lionized firefighters and such
[20:26] SarethIII: but that's not "normal life" under the circumstances we're in now.
[20:26] moritheil: It's true, but - I dislike blaming society.
[20:26] moritheil: I like to think of it in terms of choice.
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| | Posted 7/6/2009 8:46 AM - 47 Views - 10 eProps - 3 comments
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