[lbo-talk] Rationality of the Masses

[Jeffrey Fisher]

On 6/8/05, Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
> Jeffrey Fisher wrote:
> >
> > people on the whole (not
> > individually, necessarily) have
> 
> This is crucial. If you meet someone _as an individual_, directly, then
> all observations about "people on the whole" become irrelevant. Then
> observations about her/his psychological make-up, particular experience,
> family, moral character, sense of responsibility, intelligence, and so
> forth become relevant. And at that point one could well argue that the
> particular person was merely rationalizing -- irrational, etc etc. But
> to claim relevance of such characteristics when talking about "people on
> the whole" or "americans on the whole" or "fundamentalists on the whole"
> or "Bush voters on the whole" is itself irrational.

my only point was that some will have more trouble than others. but
otherwise, i think i'm saying what you were saying about sensibility
and rationality. that is, maybe it's rational at some level to trust
your parents or grandparents on things like religion.

or are they so different, really? does one have to be a burkean
conservative to say such a thing? i don't think so. i have certainly
tossed my parents' and grandparents' religiosity (along with their
religion, which is not, i would say, the same thing). but it took a
long time to do, and not just because i was brainwashed, i don't
think. i think i was quite rational about it, even if i look back now
at things i used to think and shake my head in embarrassment, if not
disbelief. (yes, pun)

what i'm on about is how we talk to people like we respect them
instead of like they're f-ing morons. and i don't think doug's answer
necessitates we do that. and i thought your post was encouraging that.
i may be misunderstanding everything, as i am doing way too many
things at once, right now. sorry.

-- 
http://www.brainmortgage.com/

Among medieval and modern philosophers, anxious to establish
the religious significance of God, an unfortunate habit has prevailed
of paying to Him metaphysical compliments.

  - Alfred North Whitehead