Happyville said:
No, methinks we are not equal.
That is interesting... Although it seems to be going off on another tangent from this thread - I am curious as to what you mean by this?
I believe there is a similar theme that runs in Altas Shrugged, which seems to be a bible of sorts for people that believe that those that work harder or smarter get to a different point in life than people who are less talented or downright lazy!
Please clarify?
It seemed evident to me, in the context of a response to what luke.wilson wrote. In fact, AI Today even explained it. Perhaps you are reading too much into the word "equal".
To play back for you, L.W wrote:
Take MoskoeOne for example,
According to his profile overview he is brand new to the forum. Now he is displaying what he thinks. Ideas that up to now have held great value to him, after all, through this ideas, his perceived identity, he found this forum. A place where from outside, he thought, finally, a place where I can fit. Be amongst equals...
Suggesting that MoskoeOne was pleased to find this forum and would have initially felt to be among equals, equals in thoughts, ideas, knowledge, intellect. However, as AI Today explained, due to the paths we are on, specific to the learning requirements of the individual and therefore unequal to another path, we are not equals (my interpretation).
Therefore, the varying degrees of maturity in our thinking, intellect, knowledge, awareness make us unequal. This is not to say the quality of one individual is greater than another, but the quality on one's contributions could certainly be greater than another.
Perhaps, you were too focused on trying to find things wrong with what is going on here that you are missing important aspects.
It is interesting that you feel this "pissing match" (and I believe you meant pissing match and your later correction wasn't genuine) and "side conversations", as you put it, are fruitless. You don't see how helping people see their own programs or discussing different perspectives as bearing fruit?
It is also interesting that you refer to the discussion as "side conversations" and show a concern for going off topic. In fact, these conversations are of primary importance.
There's a certain type of person I've encountered who are so rules focused that they have great difficulty when things go outside of the expected structure and focus on the aberation and not the substance. You remind me of this inflexible type. In this case, the structure would be traditional forum protocol to ensure a thread stays on topic. Although we generally adhere to this protocol, there are specific circumstances when a greater good requires divergence from the norm.
A thread usually starts in the direction of the author's intent, but if issues emerge that are ultimately of greater value, addressing them takes precedence and the focus of the thread shifts.
Unfortunately, it is often difficult to point out a program to someone, especially when they have an investment in their initial message.
While programs get pointed out to the author, some members (usually newer ones or lurkers) become uncomfortable because they percieve unfairness and feel they need to jump into the dialogue to protect the author of the thread. Unfortunately, their perception is actually identification with a wound they themselves carry. Perhaps this is happening with you?
This is a research forum with a twist, which is that we have also come together to work on ourselves through the mirror of the network. We aren't here to debate and arguing is rarely tolerated.
I hope you can see the difference between discussing different points of view and arguing. It is usually the emotional investment one has in their ideas that leads to arguing.
For someone who has been on this forum for a while, you are coming across as being argumentative and demanding and should know better. As well, you are showing evidence of narrow thinking.
obyvatel pointed out that you have levelled some serious accusations against the forum and asked you to back them up. I suggest you put your effort into rereading all of your comments, try to see them from a perspective other than your own if you can, and see if you can learn something about yourself. But before that, you should either justify those accusations or correct the record.
