[MD] a-theism and atheism

[david buchanan]

John said:

... Social disaprobation, then, can be a form of squelching, but only if one buys into it.  And if one does (and I have) then is that really a force applied by others?  Or a choice I make myself?  I'd say it's a choice I make myself.  But then, I'm human, and it's what humans normally do.  We pay attention to the social signals we consider significant.  I consider ..opinions significant, by my own choice and thus I accuse him of squelching debate, which is blaming him for my choices and unfair.

dmb says:
Wow. That's surprising and even a bit impressive. It's courageous to take responsibility and correct to say it's unfair to do otherwise. 
Plus we really don't want social concerns to have any real power in a place like this. That would be a form of corruption because it's supposed to be all about the intellectual quality. Not that it's wrong to make friends of course, but that shouldn't be a factor in deciding which ideas are accepted or not. So don't buy into it.