[MD] freedom is for the rich

[ian glendinning]

Arlo,
You said of the "teach a man to fish" parable
"If everyone who pulled this parable out actually TAUGHT people to
fish, ... etc"

I say this is the "hypocrisy" point I keep making (after Argyris,
Brunsson, Parker-Follett, etc) What people say they believe in, and
how they act are two entirely different things. Sad, but inescapably
true, at the level of historical generalisation.

Generally people "rationalise" what they say they do, before or after
they act. but the rationalisation of an act is not the act itself. The
predominant rationalization paradigm is hoplessely SoMist -
objectively scientific (like the parable, impossible to argue against,
but not actually "real".)

Ian

On 11/26/06, ARLO J BENSINGER JR <ajb102 at psu.edu> wrote:
> [Steve H]
> I would say I would use my individual freedom to help the man on the street
> dying of thirst if I ever encountered such a situation.
>
> [Arlo]
> I recall once having a conversation with a conservative who pulled out the
> ubiquitous "fish" story (give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach
> him to fish and you've fed him for life).
>
> I replied, okay, and how many people have YOU "taught to fish" lately?
>
> If everyone who pulled this parable out actually TAUGHT people to fish, maybe
> those who give people fish would have less and less to do (IF, of course, the
> parable was true).
>
> [Steve H]
> If you want to use your individual freedom to deny him a drink of water because
> you would feel like a slave doing it, go ahead!  I just think that you, Ham,
> and Platt come across as selfish people for thinking that way.
>
> [Arlo]
> Haven't you heard? Everyone and everything is selfish. Your giving water to a
> thirsty man is just as selfish as the others denying him. Indeed, there is no
> such thing as selflessness. And its selfish for you to suggest differently. Not
> to mention intolerant of their selfishness. And hateful of those who would deny
> water to a thirsty man.
>
> So in describing how you'd give water to someone dying of thirst, all you do is
> prove your own selfish, intolerant and hateful agenda. (Welcome to world of
> right-wing logic.)
>
> Arlo (who is still waiting for all these compassionate conservatives to start
> teaching people how to fish...)
>
>
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