Belief is a matter of degree.

Post #45,654 by marlowe 7/15/02 12:40:56 PM Reply	Belief is a matter of degree. Anyone can profess belief in a proposition. Lots of people can even act accordingly, as long as it's not too inconvenient. But having the courage of one's convictions is another thing entirely. [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html] Everything's a mystery until you figure out how it works. If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
Post #45,683 by Ashton 7/15/02 4:36:57 PM Reply	Indeed.. that last is what every fanatic and bigot comes automatically equipped with. Is that 'will' or mere ordinary delusion, then? (So if you're sincerely-deluded: that's a Plus?) Generalizations are such Fun, especially with slippery words that never mean the same thing to two or more people.
Post #45,690 by marlowe 7/15/02 5:47:08 PM Reply	Call names if you want but... the ones who actually take risks and make sacrifices for their beliefs have a disproportionate influence on what happens in this world. For both good and evil. People who sit on the sidelines and munch sour grapes are people who are unwilling to matter. They are beneath good and evil. [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html] Everything's a mystery until you figure out how it works. If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
Post #45,694 by Simon_Jester 7/15/02 6:22:21 PM Reply	Umm..one correction. the ones who actually take risks and make sacrifices for their beliefs, and actually succeed, have a disproportionate influence on what happens in this world. For both good and evil. After all, Benedict Arnold success' is in direct proportion to which side won.
Post #45,768 by marlowe 7/16/02 11:10:29 AM Reply	Let's balance that equation... by looking at those who do nothing but heckle from the sidelines... and actually succeed at heckling. As opposed to who try to heckle but have an asthma attack or a coughing fit or swallow their gum or something. [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html] Everything's a mystery until you figure out how it works. If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
Post #45,771 by marlowe 7/16/02 11:21:53 AM Reply	Or alternately, let's just back up and... look at both groups in the aggregate. Lump together the successful and the failures on both sides, and see which side fares better overall. And then we will see one reason why a noble failure is more worthy of respect than a mere whiner. The averages favor the doer. (Another reason being that intelligent perseverance pays off. Even Thomas Edison had more than his share of failure. And of success. But whiners know nothing of perseverance.) (Yet another reason being that many can learn, and thus benefit, from one failure. But whiners know little or nothing of learning.) [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html] Everything's a mystery until you figure out how it works. If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.

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