[MD] Social Imposition ?

[ARLO J BENSINGER JR]

[Platt]
"Quality" is a symbol pointing to pure experience. Photograph pure experience? I
don't think so. A "family" is a symbol pointing to a group of individuals
related by DNA to one another, something a holiday photograph doesn't reveal.

[Arlo]
I think a family is much more than a group of individuals related by DNA.
Adoption nonwithstanding, I consider several of my closest friends "family", as
well as my fiances family. These are intricate social patterns built up over
years of social interactions. A "father", as I'm sure you know, is not simply
the male DNA provider. He is the person who cares, who is there, who helps with
homework and skinned knees, who shows you how to tune a motorcycle, cast a rod,
pitch a tent and make popcorn, who shares his time and his love.. among the
many examples others could provide. None of these things can be captured in a
photograph, but they are real, they are social patterns, they have "value" and
they matter.

[Arlo previously]
I'm sorry, as the resident "collectivists" can you remind me where I said "we
are all the same" and should be "controlled like sheep"? Or is this part of my
hidden agenda?

[Platt]
I don't know. You tell me.

[Arlo]
I don't want you to be a sheep, Platt. Nor do I think you are the same as
everyone, or anyone, else.

[Platt]
Don't you think it's better to be Arlo than a bug?

[Arlo]
Oh sure, but how can I explain that to the bug?