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Feb 01, 2007 13:18

Middle ages ( Read more... )

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doctorzaius February 2 2007, 00:12:28 UTC
We're only advanced technologically. As a people, any change we have made to better ourselves has either been minor or negated by all the bad things we've adopted.

How can we consider ourselves to be better than our ancestors when we're so close to ending our own lives through either global warming or nuclear war?

It seems the things we do have a much greater effect on the whole world these days, what with globalization and all. Eventually, if we survive global warming and any nuclear threats, the whole world will be one huge monopoly of social values and culture. The conflicts that will clearly arise from normlessness and lack of integration will lead to internal strife and that will probably lead to our downfall anyway.

Unless we become better human beings who can truly get along, the road ahead will be extremely bumpy. I mean, roadkill everywhere... real bad... q:

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geoform_187 February 2 2007, 06:56:35 UTC
Well, first, let me just say that if religion really is viewed with such universal disdain in Europe, it's different in the USA. Religion here is dominant to the point that non-religious politicians (well, actually, politicians who don't feign religion well enough) are virtually unelectable.

Second, those imprisoned these days for religious beliefs are invariably put away by practitioners of another religion (i.e. Muslims imprisoning Christians or vice-versa). This, partly, is why religious people are sometimes called fanatics.

Third, people in the middle ages probably thought they were getting somewhere. "Gee, I'm sure glad we dumped those old pagan practices. Let us reclaim these lands for the glory of Godde!"

There's no real comparison between today's society and that of the middle ages. We've progressed, but human nature is still creeping in every now and then as it probably always will. There's more to progress than just attitude.

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zersli February 2 2007, 17:58:49 UTC
Well, first, let me just say that if religion really is viewed with such universal disdain in Europe, it's different in the USA. Religion here is dominant to the point that non-religious politicians (well, actually, politicians who don't feign religion well enough) are virtually unelectable.

Yes, you've got a fact there. Religion in general is viewed very differently in some European parts; especially my country which has gotten progressively secular. They claim it to be a country free for any religion, but my personal experiences claim something very different.

Second, those imprisoned these days for religious beliefs are invariably put away by practitioners of another religion (i.e. Muslims imprisoning Christians or vice-versa). This, partly, is why religious people are sometimes called fanatics.Religion versus religion, yes, but not only. In too many countries, the government barge in on religious practicioners and imprison them for either practicing their beliefs, or proselytizing. It's more common in dictatorship countries, but ( ... )

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the__epitome February 2 2007, 17:08:09 UTC
I've got to agree with Geo here - it's not really a comparison. Interesting theory though.
I'm looking forward to when we can genetically alter the human race to remove any aggressiveness tendencies, or somehow... take away the evilness we seem to inherently have.

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doctorzaius February 3 2007, 04:05:06 UTC
Evilness we seem to inherently have? That view fits Thomas Hobbes's doctrine of original sin. Try studying Jean-Jacques Rousseau's doctrine of innate purity or at least John Locke's study on how the minds of infants are blank slates.

*closes textbook*

Anyway...

Psychologists these days try to stay in the middle of the nature versus nurture debate. SOME of us may be born with predispositions to act certain ways but the environment also plays a very important role. You really want to decrease aggressive behavior? Give more or greater rewards and attention to those who engage in passive or good behavior.

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the__epitome February 3 2007, 10:49:07 UTC
Says the guy standing next to a wrestler! :P
I'm just teasing. But it's an interesting topic, and I can't say I'm an expert on it.

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doctorzaius February 3 2007, 21:27:24 UTC
I get all my info. from Hillbilly Jim.

*nod-nods*

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dw_junon February 5 2007, 00:42:59 UTC
Side-stepping religion and/or science, mostly as it has already been discussed ( ... )

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runedot February 11 2007, 07:54:58 UTC
I'm going to approach this differently from the posters prior, yet still be entirely serious when I say every single action is right.

Afterall, why would anyone take any course of action without believing it to be a 'right' one? At least, the right one for them.
Even a sociopath would willing commit 'wrongs' because it is 'right' for them to do so, whether it be because they derive pleasure from it, have a desire for self-destruction or what not.

By the same reasoning though, every action is wrong, since there is bound to be somebody who thinks differently from the one commiting the action, and hence believe it to be a wrong one.

Er, my brother called me to help him with something (WoW related) and I've forgotten where I was going with this.. so.. er.. yeah.

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