LaTigresse
Posts: 26123
Joined: 1/15/2006 Status: offline
|
Using fast reply. I am going to start typing thoughts and maybe I will hit OK, then again, after reading thru them I may just end up closing the window......I do that alot more than anyone might imagine. When I first came to collarme it was the first real exposure I had to the gorean stuff. At FIRST I thought it was kinda cool, codes of honour, personal integrity, etc etc etc. Basically alot of the personal behaviour philosophies that I strive to live my life with. Then human nature being what human nature is, and the new concept of internet fantasy land being what it is.....I was VERY quickly disallusioned. In fact I would call disallusioned a gross understatement. I will try and refrain from the petty details that have been beat like a horse dead and focus on the important stuff. One true/better way.....which is so closed minded and arrogant. How this attitude is communicated by those that call themselves gorean to those that cannot identify personally with their beliefs. It is a direct hypocrisy to some of the standards of behaviour that initially peaked my interest in the first place. Primarily, intollerance of anyone that dares to disagree with their belief system and say so. While this is certainly NOT a gorean exlusive.....see any political or religious debate in the offtopic zone.....it is a guarantee. Sure to be met with hostility, and much passive agressive condensating banter. Usually enmass. I have lived too full a life in my almost45 years to even begin to believe in a, across the board, gender supremacy. There are too many men, and women, that prove to me daily, even hourly, that they are supreme in nothing, let alone simply based on their gender. A person could argue that fact with me until they fall over dead and I will still calmly be able to point to too many visible real life (not written in a fictional book) examples that prove otherwise. I also miss IB, he was probably the only gorean identified man to grace the collarme forums that I always enjoyed reading and developed great respect for. He displayed many of the personal values and behaviours that I strive for, that I respect in anyone, male or female. He stood out because he almost always held fast to that personal honour and integrity that is easy to espouse but much more difficult to live. He did, at least on here, to my eyes. If all that call themselves gorean were as disciplined and honourable in behaviour as IronBear appeared to be I think there would be no need for bridges or walls. This can also be said of those that are so vehemently against the gorean philosophy. People on either side of the issue are any less to blame. Unfortunately one side does feed the other all too well. It is unfortunate that within a small facet of life such as this website there is a reflection of what drives so many of the worlds biggest problems which have always, and probably will always, lead to war. Arrogance, intollerance and fear. I guess my point is this. IF someone wishes to be respected, as one that lives their life in an honourable manner. To inspire others, to have their perspectives treated with respect and validated.......they need to give it value. To show that the words are more than words. All of the snide remarks, chest puffing and thumping, and sometimes out and out attacks.....wether provoked or not, only serves to undermine what they are saying they believe in. This only serves to make it a farce, a comedy of sorts. I believe our behaviour over time is what shows the truth of our nature, not the books we read or what we voice/type. Personally, you can claim to be anything you want. I don't care. How you back it up with action will determine wether or not I take you seriously. I don't have to agree with you to respect you. I don't have to chose to live my life the way you do to believe your choice has value. BUT, I do have to see that you really believe in it, that you own all of it, not just the easy stuff. And I deserve the exact same respect, my choices deserve to be given the same value EVEN when they are in direct opposition with your choices.
_____________________________
My twisted, self deprecating, sense of humour, finds alot to laugh about, in your lack of one! Just because you are well educated, articulate, and can use big, fancy words, properly........does not mean you are right!
|