From: Christian.Walters@umagic.FIDONET.ORG (Christian Walters)
Newsgroups: hsv.religion
Subject: Re: herd mentality (was Re: feeling threatened?)
Date: Wed,  8 Apr 92 11:27:33 CDT
Organization: Micro Magic

Jim Cobabe says:
>I have heard this assertion before, and still have trouble with it.
>Nobody in the world is perfectly informed about everything.  This is
>such a rediculous notion that no rational person would try to defend
>it.  Yet you seem to be critical of those who commit themselves to a
>cause without first having a perfect knowledge of the issue from every
>angle.
 
No, I don't require perfect knowledge of anything. It's okay for you to
be against abortion, but when asked why, I don't think it's wrong to
want a better answer than "because." You can join the KKK if you want,
but if you're quizzed on why you hate black people,is it wrong to want
an answer better than "I just do"? These are the kinds of people I'm
talking about - the people that become Nazis because of something they
saw on TV, etc. NOT the people who join the Audubon Society on a mad
lark. (Even though I guess it COULD extend to them. "Why do you like
birds?" "I just do." "Don't evade the question!" :) )
 
>It is obviously untrue that these people don't "figure out their own
>personal feelings", as you state.  What _is_ true is that they have not
>approached the issue with the same perspective and point of view that
>you see it from.
 
Fair enough. Why is it wrong for me to question their point of view? I
don't have a problem with people who see things differently. I *do* have
a problem with the people who leap before they look. Remember, I am not
trying to criticize people who see things differently than I do. I am
criticizing the people who act out of peer pressure, hatred, vengeance,
and so on.
 
>I am sure you are adamant about defending the rights of these people to
>their own personal opinions.  Why make such a derogatory
>characterization of the choices that so many make?
 
Which choices am I being derogatory about? The Nazis? The KKK? The poor
dears - I didn't know they were so sensitive.
 
Of course people have a right to think what they wanna think. When this
thought transforms into actions, though, we can't afford to be quite as
easygoing.
 
You can disagree with me about abortion if you want, but be prepared for
a fight when you ready the fire bomb for the abortion clinic. You can
not like particular books, but be ready for an argument when you try to
ban them or burn them.
 
>People are motivated to join groups for many reasons.  Most of the time
>the reasons are good.  The vast majority of organizations that you
>characterize as "gangs" were originally formed with the best of
>intentions.
 
Ah, yes. Paving the road to hell with the intentions of gangs. "I had
the best intentions during that drive-by shooting. Honest." Besides,
when did I characterize gangs? Do you mean that the new youth
organizations in Huntsville are NOT gangs?
 
>And if you belittle or discredit everyone that tends to associate with
>a group, you are pretty much putting down everyone.
 
You're right! Whew! Lucky for me I wasn't doing this!



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 * Christian.Walters@umagic.FIDONET.ORG via Micro Magic
Newsgroups: hsv.religion