h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yes we can have idividual beliefs but eventually our beliefs (as we grow older ) will fall in line with what society believes I guess at some point we grow tired of constantly fighting against the tide. You only have to look at the children of the sixties they are now the ones in charge and nothing has really changed

I don't believe that it is inevitable that our individual beliefs will slip into the mass social soup of 'what one is supposed to believe'. I also don't think it's that difficult to hold on to one's beliefs, as long as one truly believes in them. In this sense, I never feel like I am going against anything - I'm just being me.

I'm always doing the right thing, even if i detest it with every fiber of my being. I always try to be nice and give people the benafit of the doubt, but it always seems there's someone who's more then happy to take advantage of this. Honestly, the nice guys always seem to finish last, i'm guilty of it to! I gess it's just human nature to take whatever atvantage we can, even if it takes atvantage of someone else

You shouldn't put war in this conversation. It should be a completely different subject that has to be discussed. There are too much factors in the war to say if its right or wrong.

*nods in agreement about relative values*
Considering the fact that there are various countries around the world, each of these countries obviously has a different sense of what society should be. Executions still exist in many areas around the world, while some countries generally view them as barbaric. However, if we take society as a whole (that is to say, a world view of society), we can see that it generally follows a given set of values.
In this case, we must weigh which set of values we will follow. Generally, most people tend to follow the stricter set of values due to either their beliefs or necessity. Does this set a trend as to what we will be able and unable to do in the future? Nevermind... tangent.
So if a person comes from country A which supports executions and is much much much bigger than country B, which doesn't, and this person from country A into country B and proclaims his beliefs in a different society, whom is right? Country A has more people, so aren't they the greater good?

*disappears in a sudden flash*

Wouldn't it be nice if each country could just accept each other instead of trying to impose their views upon each other

i think you just hit the bottom line in this and many other discussions. accept. think. decide for one's self.

hi legendV007,

You shouldn't put war into this conversation?

Well, it seems you can't put it anywhere on h2g2 these days, since the BBC in its wisdom removed the thread on discussing war last week.

hello azahar
Really? I wonder why. People should always speak out whats on their minds as long as they do so with out being histerical.

Here here
three for sanity

three cheers for staying sane in an increasingly crazy world.

hi legend,

It seems to me people should be allowed to say anything, whether it appears hysterical or not.

But that's just me talkin'

We can always agree to disagree if we find something totally off the wall - or are faced with a brick wall of totally decided opinion.

But we should be allowed our opinions, as long as we don't take them to the point of thinking this allows us to hurt others.

Right or wrong?

Do unto others, I say. Well, okay, someone else once said that. Still, they are very fine words.

az

Whose to say who is sane Doesn't the mad man think he is sane and everyone else mad?

Helelou

Hi, Azahar! Your "words are loaded pistols" line reminded me of a verse from The Rubaiyat, by Omar Khayyam;

The moving finger writes, and having writ,
Stops, nor all your piety nor wit,
Shall move it back to cancel half a line,
Nor tears wash out a word of it,

Just thought i'd share!

Does this mean

once something is written it can't be unwritten as it has been spoken inthe same way that something that has been spoken can't be taken back? so we should always take care in word, deed and thought

Hope Iunderstood your quote It is making my head hurt with all this thinking




Helelou

I always disliked people who defended their view by using flipping the hell out (red faced, sweaty palms, spit flies all over the place) or even using their fists. On the net the same people use that cap lock, POINTING OUT THEIR VIEWS AND REMINDING THAT THEY HAVE SMALL d%^&$. That kind of behavior never makes me want to take their side, it rather makes me first of all sad, and second, punch them in the face (of course its after I'll make sure that I can take them on) On the other hand if someone calmly explains their point of view, I'll not only listen but even by them a drink.

Are youtalking about PEOPLE WHO NEVER WANT TO LISTEN BUT JUST RAM THEIR OPINIONS DOWN YOUR GULLET!!!!?

There's nothing wrong, in my book, with being opinionated and dogmatic (most everyone is, whether they think they are or not). The problem is when we are so convinced of our own rightness we label those with other views as evil, and will no longer listen to others. Then we become the biggest fools of all.

Then most of the world must be fools!!!

hi Bryce,

your quote sounds like it's saying much the same thing as mine - if only people took that to heart more often.

azahar

hi legend,

Yes I agree that calm explanation is always the best way - especially if someone is offering to buy me a drink!

Though I think there is an important difference between people who ALWAYS think they are right and use abuse - verbal or physical - to make their point and people who sometimes lose their temper whilst attempting to speak to a brick wall.

I am also sometimes tempted to just punch someone in the face - just one clean shot! - when words fail me. Luckily I'm too much of a coward physically to ever do such a thing, though the fantasies about this are great!

This reminds me of a great scene in the film Analyse This when the shrink Billy Crystal is trying to help the mafia guy Robert de Niro with anger management. Billy tells Robert that he might feel better if he could just hit a cushion, at which point Robert whips out a gun and blasts the cushion to smithereens.

Billy: feel better now?
Robert: Yeah, yeah, thanks doc.