On Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 9:33:20 PM UTC-5, Mr. B1ack wrote:
> On Mon, 16 Feb 2015 22:48:13 -0800 (PST), "Wise TibetanMonkey, Most
> Humble Philosopher" <
thetibet...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 11:00:59 AM UTC-5, Mr. B1ack wrote:
> >> On Sun, 15 Feb 2015 22:22:32 -0800 (PST), "Wise TibetanMonkey, Most
> >> Humble Philosopher" <
thetibet...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> >On Sunday, February 15, 2015 at 10:00:48 PM UTC-5, Mr. B1ack wrote:
>
> >> Philosophers ... hmmm ... there's a problem with
> >> thinking about thinking ... the results change the
> >> source. Besides, we have PUNDITS these days :-)
> >
> >Pundits are well paid individuals who are hired by the media to tell
> >you whatever you want to hear. They approved of the war in Iraq.
>
> And disapproved ... there's a pundit for every taste, telling
> YOU exactly what you want to hear :-)
>
> And ... apparently ... that's all the modern citizen needs
> or wants.
I think people want to hear an entertainer or a cheerleader for the war. They don't want to hear deep philosophical questions like "All wars carry a great danger. Do we want to bring 'democracy' to a region known for tough leaders? Why don't you start practicing some more democracy at home?" Oh no, we love those bumper stickers that go "I support the troops." Does it mean you support the war?
The Socrates portrayed here would have asked similar questions:
(awesome documentary)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0T78tNS9u8
>
> >The philosopher is someone who's pretty much broke, but brave
> >enough to advise against the wishes of politicians. Socrates is
> >the classical example of one.
>
> Well, Socrates didn't get into trouble over his 'philosophies'
> per-se ... that was pretty general stuff. It's when he dabbled
> in issue-specific *politics* that the problems began.
There were no pundits. Philosophers gave their best gut feeling to the masses. They were revered or hated.
>
> >> It is my contention that faster-than-light travel is
> >> going to prove impossible. That means we, and
> >> anything else 'out there', are pretty much stuck on
> >> our own little rocks forever. This will eventually
> >> drive us nuts ... so the solution is high-quality
> >> totally-immersive virtual reality. You might have a
> >> body stashed away "somewhere" or maybe you
> >> will go for full digitization. This is the opportunity
> >> to "revive" those ancient *interesting* worlds AND
> >> their gods. You can worship Athena and party
> >> with Mr. D forever and ever.
> >
> >Surely we can do better than with Jesus. I don't even
> >know why he bothered to come only to be a loser.
>
> Well now ... he at least *believed* he was somehow saving
> the world - a nutter, but a *nice* nutter. Alas all he really
> gave the world was yet another large religion to wage war
> on the others.
>
> I will give him one bit of credit though ... the 'forgiveness/
> tolerance' idea. That was fairly unique for the place and
> times (and remains so). Lack of forgiveness is one of
> the important reasons these sectarian wars go on
> generation after generation, century after century.
>
> Unfortunately his latter-day followers barely pay heed to
> that part of the message ...
Jesus came to teach the wisdom of turning the other cheek, but very few people ever tried it, most notably Gandhi and Martin Luther King, both shot by assassins.
What if Jesus said "Give a banana to thy enemy"?