The Daily Static
  The Daily Static
UF Archives
Register
UF Membership
Ad Free Site
Postcards
Community
Geekfinder
UFie Gear
Advertise on UF
Forum Rules
& FAQ

Username

Password


Create a New Account

  
 

Back to UserFriendly Strip Comments Index
A truly civilized society is not one in which by hadji2008-04-07 09:01:04
  Why not generalise that to violence? by Esteis2008-04-07 09:03:56
    To make a choice, you must have the actual option by Twitchh2008-04-07 09:16:33
      You are talking 'people'; hadji asked about by Peace_man2008-04-07 09:44:01
        Society is like Soylent Green. by hadji2008-04-07 09:48:36
          What makes you sure of that? by Peace_man2008-04-07 10:01:38
            Hmm, something to think about in the Vein you by classic_jon2008-04-07 10:34:49
              That's a good point. by Peace_man2008-04-07 10:57:02
                Esteis' re-statement is the underlying point by hadji2008-04-07 11:03:43
                  I'm afraid it muddles the point, to me. by Peace_man 2008-04-07 11:26:08
Preparing to use weapons for violence, and choosing to be violent, are two very different things.

We are all physically capable of violence. And most often, the only defense against violence is the ability to use violence in return. So it now comes down to definitions - or maybe possibilities.

I see Esteis' re-statement as one that defines what a truly civilized society is: It is one where all members have chosen not to be violent. It makes the point in your TLP moot.

I see the point in your TLP to be that in a truly civilized society there is no need to prepare to defend against violence. This does not try to define such a society - but it does ask what the effects of living in such a society might have on people. It's a bit like the chicken and egg question: Which comes first? A society where there is no need to defend against violence? Or a society where everyone has chosen not to act violently?

Personally I'm much more interested in the path towards a truly civilized society. One where there is so little chance of violence that there is no need to prepare for it. That's why I find your TLP much more interesting than Esteis' re-statement. I believe that simply having people choose not to act violently is not something achievable with our current knowledge, other than possibly defining a society as one made up from only such people. However, I think it is possible to create a society where the likelihood of being a victim of violence is so small that there is no need to prepare to meet violence with violence. And that's much more interesting to me.
[ Reply ]
                    What makes you believe that hadji's question by MatthewDBA2008-04-07 11:36:01
                    I never said anything about preparing to use. by hadji2008-04-07 11:36:49
                      Ah, OK. In that case I misinterpreted your by Peace_man2008-04-07 12:03:10

 

[Todays Cartoon Discussion] [News Index]

Come get yer ARS (Account Registration System) Source Code here!
All images, characters, content and text are copyrighted and trademarks of J.D. Frazer except where other ownership applies. Don't do bad things, we have lawyers.
UserFriendly.Org and its operators are not liable for comments or content posted by its visitors, and will cheerfully assist the lawful authorities in hunting down script-kiddies, spammers and other net scum. And if you're really bad, we'll call your mom. (We're not kidding, we've done it before.)