[MD] Mediated Objectivism and me

[Krimel]

[John]
Take Krimel, for instance. Take his  reaction to my rejection of his
worldview.  It wasn't a gentlemanly differing of opinion.  I really pissed
him off.  He called me, ignorant, stupid, an idiot - all disparagements
which tell me nothing about my mind but lots about his.

[Krimel]
First, I was not pissed off. As I recall I offered ignorance or stupidity as
possible explanations for your views. I did not express a preference. Are
you suggesting that "idiot" should be added to the mix of options?

[John]
Why?  Such a violent reaction usually indicates some sort of ego threat, a
common enough reaction among social apes, but in this instance, especially
fascinating to this dispassionate observer of fading Babylons, that more is
going on here than meets the eye.  The encapsulated and objectified reality
has, to an extent, BECOME Krimel's reality, the only one he really believes
in anymore. So large he can't even see it.

[Krimel]
Violent reaction? Even if my arm was long enough I would have a hard time
acting on that. But whatever psychic clues you are using now have not
brought you even close to knowing what I believe.

[John]
He's not alone.  This is the dominant paradigm of the culture.  He is, as he
points out, discriminating in his selection of objective reality- it's not
Jerry Springer he's defending, or even a high quality HBO Western/Soap Opera
like Deadwood.  It's Nova, by God!

If that's not a redundancy.

And the one thing he doesn't get is how I could be critical.  How can I
stand back and sneer at the latest and greatest in academic cosmology?

[Krimel]
What I don't understand is how you can muster a sense of self righteousness
or why you think having mustered it, it helps make your case. All you have
done so far is highlight and demonstrate what I say previously.

[John]
Well Krimel/Avatar-Case,  now ya know.

[Krimel]
I wouldn't say that I know but you have helped nudge me in the direction of
being able to select from the options listed above, including the one you
added.

[John]
I'm sure Krimel is highly intelligent.  But intelligence that blocks
enlightenment isn't a help, it's an impediment.  I didn't get that idea from
a tv show, I got it from a book.  It's called, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenance.

[Krimel]
I don't know if I am intelligent or not. But if you are seriously suggesting
that the world would be better served by relying on stupid people, it is
hard to see what you are complaining about. It looks to me like your wish
has been granted.