15. What do you think of a policeman doing something illegal for the sake of arresting a known criminal?
sticky wicket. "Known criminal" is a messy, amorphous concept. Prior bad acts are not evidence of current or future criminal activity. Plenty of wrongs have been done in the name of what law enforcement has "known."
Still and all, we rely on police to be aware of their surroundings, which includes people with whom they've come in contact before. In the same way that private citizens do this, they gauge risk levels and act accordingly.
Does this sound equivocal?
16. Would you like to experience something that no one else ever has, no matter how dangerous?
not at all. Danger does not draw me. Experience does, but moderated by the likely result.
17. What’s the difference between a religion and a cult?
as I understand it, religions are long-term, macro versions of what we think of as cults. A cult has an individual, living, charismatic and intense leader who commands obedience. A religion has an elected or selected or perhaps predestined leader who is ultimately replaceable.
18. Is the convenience and safety of civilization worth the pollution that it causes?
well, that's the question, isn't it? How much pollution are you willing to put up with, in order to have convenient and safe travel? How much travel or convenience are you willing to give up, to reduce pollution? And so it is with any notion of public good—it always needs to balance with individual sacrifice. School zones, income taxes, speed bumps, internet censorship....
19. Would you like to be absolutely perfect in every way?
nope, that's not the point. "Perfect" is terribly subjective. To some people, it would mean never disagreeing. To some people closest to me, though, perfect requires holding specific and sometimes oppositional opinions—and never shying away from expressing them. Sharp corners and hidden pitfalls are part of the attraction.
Anyway, perfection seems incredibly exhausting, and requires a degree of mind-reading that I could never hope to accomplish.
20. Beyond the body and the mind, do you think that the soul can be damaged?
yep. Some hurts are too much to deal with, so the wound descends to the soul. I believe that's how people make the transition from 'badly behaved' to 'irredeemable'.
21. Do you think that judging people based on their looks makes sense?
whether it makes sense or not, it happens. We can only control what we do with it. Is it a matter of risk assessment, as in #15, above? Is it an issue of personal preference, such as on the dating scene? Is it merely judgment for judgment's sake?
22. How do you draw a line between discussing and gossiping?
when I feel uncomfortable about it—when thinking, how would I feel if the subject of this talk were to hear what I'm saying right now? makes me cringe—then it's crossed the line
23. Can a person truly appreciate a good life without going through something horrific first?
yes. I don't believe in the old saws that "God doesn't give us more than we can handle" or "what does not kill me makes me stronger." People suffer through all sorts of things that don't result in a good life, and it's insulting to suggest that someone's god will punish and torment them in order to make them appreciate what happiness they can get.
24. First and foremost, is a dog a friend or a possession?
no. A (pet) dog is a dependent animal. Taking a pet creates an obligation for appropriate physical care and also affection.
[from here; the title quotation is by Thomas Paine, from The American Crisis]
No comments:
Post a Comment