Verbal abuse and cyber-bullying on Philosophy Now forums

[Eodnhoj7]

Why force him to meet in the middle? What do you want out of it? Me personally, extremes offer the opportunity for differ perspectives I would not see otherwise. There is a place for everything and everyone under the sun. Stop trying to fix the world and let it be.

Maybe YOU are taking this too seriously. Why are you telling me how to be... and telling me not to "force" Nick to meet in the middle... as if that has any place in reality? I have very politely answered your questions and told you why I view Nick's behavior as extreme (so what?). Yet you're "correcting" me by telling me how YOU handle it (what does that have to do with this?) -- AND YOU'RE TELLING ME NOT TO TELL NICK how to be? Why don't YOU stop trying to FIX ME and let me be?

Haha ...real simple, Nick is outnumbered. If he was not outnumbered their would be no necessity in defending him. The same applies for you or anyone else here. It is all about balance. Nick has his place, like the rest of us, and that is it. You really should relax.

[Lacewing]

Haha ...real simple, Nick is outnumbered. If he was not outnumbered their would be no necessity in defending him. The same applies for you or anyone else here. It is all about balance. Nick has his place, like the rest of us, and that is it. You really should relax.

So you're willing to throw around your made-up projections and talk at people as if you have some sort of unique wisdom like he does, in order to defend him?

[Eodnhoj7]

Haha ...real simple, Nick is outnumbered. If he was not outnumbered their would be no necessity in defending him. The same applies for you or anyone else here. It is all about balance. Nick has his place, like the rest of us, and that is it. You really should relax.

So you're willing to throw around your made-up projections and talk at people as if you have some sort of unique wisdom like he does, in order to defend him?

And you don't possess a unique wisdom (perspective)?

[Nick_A]

Eodnhoj7

Well maybe you take his perspective too seriously. I like Nick but I view his philosophy like a barking dog. The dog barks, you know something is out of place, however once you know it is out of place you just ignore the dog as it does what it does: bark. Can't blame a dog for being a dog. Can't hate the dog, because what it does is necessary. The dog barks, I look up, check out and make sure everything is right. Once I check, the dog continues barking and you let him...because you need him too.

This insult must be vindicated. As a red blooded, long nosed, broad shouldered, American male, the fabrication that my bark is worse than my bite cannot be allowed to remain unchallenged. While it is true I may have an exceptional bark, to insinuate that it is superior to the quality of my bite is not acceptable.

Nick is a necessary evil, but evil is too strong of word.

Another insult. If anything that I have written reflecting the great minds of the past is not considered evil, I’m doing it wrong. What is the most evil machine ever invented? Of course it is the alarm clock. What is more evil than this machine waking someone up in the morning when they want to stay asleep? I’ve written of awakening and these ancient ideas serve the process of psychologically awakening. They must be considered evil. They disturb the peace of Plato’s cave. What could be worse? If anything, the word evil is not strong enough for polite company.

Why force him to meet in the middle? What do you want out of it? Me personally, extremes offer the opportunity for differ perspectives I would not see otherwise. There is a place for everything and everyone under the sun. Stop trying to fix the world and let it be.

Yes but there is no place in Plato’s cave for those who have intuitively experienced that the quality of reality offering human meaning and purpose resides beyond the level of the sun. Their potential influence must be mocked into oblivion wherever possible in secular society.

[Nick_A]

Here's an idea just to mix things up a bit ... let's start with the premise that everyone has some valid points to make, even if they make mistakes.

What might those valid points be?

I'm still trying to figure out your valid points. It's not easy.

[Lacewing]

And you don't possess a unique wisdom (perspective)?

I don't think wisdom and perspective are the same thing.

And no, whatever "wisdom" or perspective I share from moment to moment is fluid and available to anyone. I don't think anyone possesses something that others cannot.

[Eodnhoj7]

And you don't possess a unique wisdom (perspective)?

I don't think wisdom and perspective are the same thing.

And no, whatever "wisdom" or perspective I share from moment to moment is fluid and available to anyone. I don't think anyone possesses something that others cannot.

So what you are saying is I am wrong now, but later I might be right?

[Lacewing]

So what you are saying is I am wrong now, but later I might be right?

I'm done responding to your questions and projections.

[Eodnhoj7]

So what you are saying is I am wrong now, but later I might be right?

I'm done responding to your questions and projections.

No your not.

[Eodnhoj7]

Eodnhoj7

Well maybe you take his perspective too seriously. I like Nick but I view his philosophy like a barking dog. The dog barks, you know something is out of place, however once you know it is out of place you just ignore the dog as it does what it does: bark. Can't blame a dog for being a dog. Can't hate the dog, because what it does is necessary. The dog barks, I look up, check out and make sure everything is right. Once I check, the dog continues barking and you let him...because you need him too.

This insult must be vindicated. As a red blooded, long nosed, broad shouldered, American male, the fabrication that my bark is worse than my bite cannot be allowed to remain unchallenged. While it is true I may have an exceptional bark, to insinuate that it is superior to the quality of my bite is not acceptable.
I really don't care. Barking is necessary, there is nothing wrong with it.

Nick is a necessary evil, but evil is too strong of word.

Another insult. If anything that I have written reflecting the great minds of the past is not considered evil, I’m doing it wrong. What is the most evil machine ever invented? Of course it is the alarm clock. What is more evil than this machine waking someone up in the morning when they want to stay asleep? I’ve written of awakening and these ancient ideas serve the process of psychologically awakening. They must be considered evil. They disturb the peace of Plato’s cave. What could be worse? If anything, the word evil is not strong enough for polite company.

Real simple, arguing everything is evil...is evil. The only difference is that while some people view it as unnecessary, I believe it it is necessary.

Why force him to meet in the middle? What do you want out of it? Me personally, extremes offer the opportunity for differ perspectives I would not see otherwise. There is a place for everything and everyone under the sun. Stop trying to fix the world and let it be.

Yes but there is no place in Plato’s cave for those who have intuitively experienced that the quality of reality offering human meaning and purpose resides beyond the level of the sun. Their potential influence must be mocked into oblivion wherever possible in secular society.

You are right about purpose, meaning, etc. But did Plato mock people or ask questions?

[Nick_A]

Lacewing

1. Your nastiness indicates a lack of respect for our differences.

2. You re guided by appearance. You have yet to show any respect for the potential of the inner man but remain fixated on what the outer man does.

3. Yes secular progressive education seeks to eliminate the natural attraction to eros for the sake of social justice

How am I supposed to respond to you Nick when you continually make statements about me that are untrue?

What is untrue about the above?

Again, you misrepresent the context of my communication -- which was in response to your claims that things are only a "particular way". OF COURSE I'm attracted to wholeness, Nick. I continually speak of being connected and being one -- just as I did in response to your arguments of separation. Why is it that you can see wholeness when you think it contradicts me, but you don't see it when it contradicts you? I can see "the many" and "the one" and the unknown and the fluid... and I can feel appreciation for all of it. Please stop defining me in narrow terms that serve your argument from one moment to the next.

Life in Plato’s cave emphasizes the value of appearance which by definition opposes wholeness. You are using the word wholeness as it is used in New Age circles. In reality it is just wishful thinking. Understanding wholeness first requires appreciating the difference between the inner and outer man. But who bothers with that when wishful thinking is so satisfying?

OF COURSE I AM open to the human condition... I have LIVED it my entire life... and I SEE it everywhere continually. But I see MORE than just what YOU FOCUS ON. That is what I'm trying to communicate and share.

What is the human condition?

[Nick_A]

Eodnhoj7

You are right about purpose, meaning, etc. But did Plato mock people or ask questions?

Yes, but he was too old fashioned. Today we strive for answers we can define as superior because of the education of those preaching them. Why ask questions when experts provide the answers? Those who defy the modern day experts deserve to be mocked. They lack respect for their superiors. What? You say this is more like indoctrination than philosophy? Don't say that too loud or you'll never live it down.

[Lacewing]

What is untrue about the above?

Nick, I'm not interested in pursuing this any further with you. Your projections are non-stop -- and we can't get past all of that distortion to find common ground.

[Greta]

Here's an idea just to mix things up a bit ... let's start with the premise that everyone has some valid points to make, even if they make mistakes.

What might those valid points be?

I'm still trying to figure out your valid points. It's not easy.

Yes, my ideas are considerably more sophisticated than that to which you are accustomed. Your usual theistic fare tends to be rather simplistic, fluffy and lacking in rigour. Keep reading, keep learning, and you might get there, champ

[Greta]

What is untrue about the above?

Nick, I'm not interested in pursuing this any further with you. Your projections are non-stop -- and we can't get past all of that distortion to find common ground.

Heh, for a while I also thought I could get Nick into an interesting, friendly conversation. Then I realised that he never speaks to others as peers; he either plays the role of the guru/elder, or he is the white knight slaying the Great Beast and its minions.

Over the years I've seen a few people try to get him into a workable "middle mode", and at times I've seen his sustain it for a post or two, But his claws will always come out. It can be quite shocking at times. You think you are finally having a nice chat with him and then - Bam! - this sudden character attack. What did I do??

I have come to realise that I and others didn't do or say anything wrong - it's just his internal clock bringing these unprovoked attacks. Unresolved and unacknowledged trauma, I suspect, or maybe bipolar, or both.