2008 Best Post in a Hegemony Forum

[[Syl]]

The Hall of Gifts, Hile Troy's Think-Tank, The Close, The Loresraat, The Galley, Doriendor Corishev, Mithil Stonedown, The Writers Circle

What post in one of these forums deserves special attention?

[Cail]

There is a part of morality that is subjective true, but there is also a part of morality that is almost like science. (This is usually called *ethics*.) Whether or not fornication or adultery is ok is certainly, to me, a matter of *subjective morality. Whether something like slavery or genocide is ok is a matter of ethical morality. Every great sin of the human race has come down to where we draw the line between humanity and unhumanity. Slavery, to me, is actually an excellent analogy. It was legal, almost everyone knew it was immoral, but not everyone saw a need for it to be illegal. Blacks were, after all, inferior to whites and held a *lesser* humanity. Very few people in the 18th century thought that blacks had the same potential and capability as whites. Even Thomas Jefferson thought they were inferior, and undeserving of the same consideration as whites. (Pretty much the only one of the founding fathers who saw them as equal to whites was Hamilton)

Slavery had massive social benefit, it essentially supported the economy of an entire region. It's benefits were far greater, in fact, than the benefits of legal abortion. Many southern whites, while admitting that slavery was wrong, resented the "moral imposition" of Northern abolitionists.

Of course, with the perspective of history, we realize what a massive social injustice slavery was. What will they think of our culture in the future? Will everyone be appalled at our barbaric ways, with legal abortion and a death penalty? If an aborted fetus is human, abortion is murder. I don't see any way to escape that conclusion. It is also a nearly inescapable conclusion that humanity must begin at conception. These aren't things I believe, they are self-evident truths.

I, and most who share my views, view abortion with the same amount of disgust we as americans feel against slavery. Against the genocide of the american indian, against the marginalization of women, against McCarthyism. ALL of these great sins came down to defining and embracing common humanity. Almost all that is wrong with the world today comes from making the universal rights of man exclusive, rather than inclusive.

The analogy may seem suspect to many of you. But I think it's dead on. In a future where undoubtedly human beings will be able to be fully grown from conception to birth outside of a human mother (we are already more than halfway there), will they look back on abortion with the same disgust we feel when we look back on Sparta?

Life is better than death. This isn't a belief, this is a self-evident truth. We ALL believe it. If you didn't, why wouldn't you kill yourself right now? Since you *must* believe it, how can you deny life to a *person* for reasons as petty as poverty, or genetic disease? From the self evident truth that life is better than death, any argument which violates this axiomatic truth is automatically fallacious. This isn't a matter of my belief, this is a matter of cold, rational logic. I certainly feel strongly on the matter, but I cannot reach any conclusion, especially one so monumentally important on a whim. Stop thinking of the poor pregnant teenagers, stop thinking of the children in homes where they are unwanted. These cards that people who support abortion are so eager to play, are logically fallacious appeals to emotion. It is logical fallacy, and it is the tool of those who wish to distract you from logical analysis.

kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=621832#621832

[Cail]

kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16017

The recent loss of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to a knee injury has dredged up thoughts I have been having for years now. But though it happens more overtly in sports, I have noticed a tendency in political circles that mirror the warm fuzzy feelings one gets when an opponent struggles or in the worst case is taken out of competition by a misfortune. We're all capable of it. Schadenfreude or shameful joy is one of the more inhumane emotions we express. In sports its hateful however when it happens in a game there are few world altering consequences. When it happens in politics it becomes something else entirely.
Given the current political climate it's much easier to find examples of Schadenfreude among the ranks of the Democratic party. Every misstep and stumble by the current administration is a cause for celebration. More fuel for the fire that powers the opposition's argument that they ought to be in charge instead. If the roles were reversed there would be no difference whatsoever. The feelings would be the same. Each party is populated by the same kinds of people and they are only human.
What makes my stomach turn is when these attitudes manifest during times of national misfortune or crisis.
I see smiling faces and hear jubilant voices when higher unemployment figures are reported. When the national GDP grinds to a standstill. When gas prices and general inflation soars. And worst of all when combat deaths are high enough to make the front page of the newspaper.
The perception is that political power is more important than the well being of the country at large. When I see examples of this it literally makes me sick to my stomach.
Again, it wouldn't make a bit of difference which political party was wishing ill will on the other. In every case it is disgusting.

Thanks to the impending Presidential election everything negative about politics has been amplified a hundredfold but it's Political Schadenfreude that points out just how self interested groups of people can be.

This isn't a football game it's real life and throwing a party because the country is going down the toilet and the result may empower you and your "team" is revolting.

Is it any wonder why I hate politics so much?

[Loredoctor]

I have to say that Malik23's posts in the Afterlife thread are nothing short of brilliant. Malik and I have differed, sometimes extremely and heatedly, in the past on several occasions, but I won't hold back admiration when it is deserved.

Malik23, keep up the great posts!

[Zarathustra]

Loremaster, wow! Thank you!

[[Syl]]

Nominate

[Zarathustra]

Thanks for the nomination. Is that all it takes to win nowadays? I didn't see any voting.

Anyway, I feel obligated to dedicate this win to God.

(I'd go with "Satan" but Tool already did that.)

[Menolly]

Thanks for the nomination. Is that all it takes to win nowadays? I didn't see any voting.

2008 Watchy Ballot

It was originally in it's own Announcement thread here in the Watchy forum. Syl went private ballot via PM this year (definitely my own preference). He posted an announcement in A&S when voting opened, which I think also originally had it's own thread. Both threads have been merged into more general threads now.

[Zarathustra]

I'm so out of the loop.