will Astor
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will Astor commented on Where are we? on January 18, 2008, 2:08 PM
How Do we get 'there?' I think that the old expression, "can bring the horse to water, but can't make him drink" is overtly appropriate. The people within any society have to want to be enlightened first. This is obvious. Western intervention into non-democratic societies for the purpose of spreading enlightment and the fruits of democracy is a blatent farse and always will be. Western motivation is stimulated by the pursuit of wealth, first and foremost. American foreign policy is the exact opposite (if opposites were to have a true correlate in reality) of the only conclusion of enlightenment thinking; the inversed golden rule: DO NOT DO ONTO OTHERS AS ONE WOULDN'T WAN'T DONE TO THEMSELF!! The only way to get 'there,' as an united human civilization on the island of earth, is for the people who are already 'there' to act like it and set an example. As a society, Americans do not act like we are 'there.' Hence, we must not really be 'there,' or anywhere. We are just wealthy with overly pampered brains and overly fed bodies, so we have the 'freedom' to even consider that there is a somhwere to be other than just worrying about whether we will be alive tomorrow.
will Astor commented on Steven Pinker on Nature vs. Nurture on January 16, 2008, 7:51 PM
Depressing that it seems that parents can only affect children in a negative way:i.e. alcohol during pregnancy, drop on head, or deprivation of essential needs.
will Astor commented on Steven Pinker on Nature vs. Nurture on January 16, 2008, 2:51 PM
Depressing that it seems that parents can only affect children in a negative way: i.e. alcohol during pregnancy, drop on head, or deprivation of essential needs.
will Astor commented on Where are we? on January 18, 2008, 7:08 PM
How Do we get 'there?'I think that the old expression, "can bring the horse to water, but can't make him drink" is overtly appropriate.The people within any society have to want to be enlightened first. This is obvious.Western intervention into non-democratic societies for the purpose of spreading enlightment and the fruits of democracy is a blatent farse and always will be. Western motivation is stimulated by the pursuit of wealth, first and foremost.American foreign policy is the exact opposite (if opposites were to have a true correlate in reality) of the only conclusion of enlightenment thinking; the inversed golden rule: DO NOT DO ONTO OTHERS AS ONE WOULDN'T WAN'T DONE TO THEMSELF!!The only way to get 'there,' as an united human civilization on the island of earth, is for the people who are already 'there' to act like it and set an example.As a society, Americans do not act like we are 'there.' Hence, we must not really be 'there,' or anywhere.We are just wealthy with overly pampered brains and overly fed bodies, so we have the 'freedom' to even consider that there is a somhwere to be other than just worrying about whether we will be alive tomorrow.