Blog Comments

Quote by: beartheweak

Yeah, that's more accurate.

I don't think I ever suggested it was universal.

Quote by: BlackSheep

It is certainly not universal that people avoid understanding to avoid a choice, but it is common.

Yeah, that's more accurate.

Quote by: beartheweak

I agree that it's not a proper comparison because they are definitely not of the same degree. Nonetheless, it still serves it's purpose as a comparing example because it shows how someone may not want to understand the other side fully so they don't want to make a choice. Yet (still!), I disagree that people don't want to fully understand the otherside because they don't want to make a choice. For instance, I am against materialism, yet I have probably done more extensive research in it than most self-proclaimed atheists because believe it or not, I wanted to make the right choice. In fact, if I can brag a little, I was (many times) an atheist and deist in my life but I've always found stronger evidence to believe in (the Christian) God, so he keeps me coming back.

It is certainly not universal that people avoid understanding to avoid a choice, but it is common.

Quote by: Dismay

Im not sure bdsm is a proper comparison. Sexual orientation is far more basic than a fetish.. You don't dabble in homosexuality because your partner wants to try something new. Where ever you fall on the kinsey scale you are pretty much stuck with.

I agree that it's not a proper comparison because they are definitely not of the same degree. Nonetheless, it still serves it's purpose as a comparing example because it shows how someone may not want to understand the other side fully so they don't want to make a choice. Yet (still!), I disagree that people don't want to fully understand the otherside because they don't want to make a choice. For instance, I am against materialism, yet I have probably done more extensive research in it than most self-proclaimed atheists because believe it or not, I wanted to make the right choice. In fact, if I can brag a little, I was (many times) an atheist and deist in my life but I've always found stronger evidence to believe in (the Christian) God, so he keeps me coming back.

This blog entry is more about the fear of considering something than being specifically gay. The idea as the bog said "I don't want to understand" and trying to understand why some people refuse to accept that people are born straight, gay or somewhere in between.
I think that some people refuse to accept their feelings of anything because they feel it is the first step to choosing to possibly being that thing. They think of it as temptation rather than their true nature. It maps very close to their explanations of how they think things are.

I don't see how your argument entails that being gay is a choice. The only apparent choice is that of actively seeking out a further understanding of homosexuality, something which may or may not have appeal. The appeal itself is not something that is a choice though. And in this case I hardly think, for a homosexual, that gaining an understanding of homosexuality is much of a choice either. Most everyone is exposed to the idea somewhere along the line. Ignoring its intrinsic appeal after exposure for them would be like trying to unlearn basic human functions.

If you open your mind to the possibility in the first place. I agree BDSM is not an ideal comparison, but I selected it for its negative connotations. You mind find if you talk to some people with fetishes that s is pretty deeply seated as well. Not people who dabble in it but people for whom it is more.

Im not sure bdsm is a proper comparison. Sexual orientation is far more basic than a fetish.. You don't dabble in homosexuality because your partner wants to try something new. Where ever you fall on the kinsey scale you are pretty much stuck with.

Well they certainly set themselves apart from civilians. Even civilians that are part of their service. My experience is that they really think they are doing what they can to help people, but they tend to be very judgmental of people. A friend of my ex-girlfriend and son who called the police about abuse from her father was told she was 16 and if she didn't want to stay with her father she could leave. They basically took the father's side and didn't even take her complaint. I was outraged and offered to take her to the police to fill in a report and report the officers.

Cops in many cases seem to live on stereotypes. They assumed she was a rebellious, immature teen. With my charges it was over my relationship with my ex-girlfriend. She supported me 100% and no one complained but they assumed she was a clueless, air-brained teen and I was an exploitative dirty old man. There was really no support, but it didn't matter.

For what it's worth, I have two brothers-in-law who are retired police officers and can confirm that the attitude you're describing is exactly the general police/cop mindset, at least in my experience.

Even worse, the police become a kind of quasi-military cult that serves itself, not the welfare of the general public. It is incidental if the public is actually protected.

Thanks. I was found innocent about six months ago and I din't find it scarier personally.

I agree about the system being set up to resolve things. The police should be non-partisan, but they are not.

I actually worked for the police as a civilian for 20 years before they fired me. I still kinda work for them through another company at the moment.

I think the problem is the system is judgmental. They look for bad guys and they find them.

If you still have a trial to go through then you're in for something far scarier then the interrogation process, as bad as that is. I went through one, being accused of things I know I didn't do. Not that I was a saint at the time but armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon wasn't what I did in my wildest of youth.

In court, at my arraignment as my public defender pointed out how I was gainfully employed and innocent till proven guilty before the law, the judge stated on the record that the law proclaims "innocent till proven guilty but this court sees him as guilty lest he wouldn't be here." As I had no record the public defender compelled the judge to release me on my own recognizance. That was close to 25 years ago. That day woke me up to the fact that not just the police, but the whole system is set up for the propagation of the system. Meaning no one is interested in the truth, only closing the case and moving to the next one. Gaining a bigger budget and advancing careers.

During the trial the asst. DA actually came to my place of work at a fast food place I was managing. And showed me my mug shot asking if I knew "that" guy? "Because he's going to jail." Can you believe it? Here's the kicker, he was drunk off his rocker!! Don't get me wrong, I was a heavy partier at the time. But wow, talk about breaking all the stereotypes I had about our establishment and the people running the institutions! I too knew a couple of cops in my life that were good and decent but as a whole I'm with you, don't trust the establishment as far as you can throw it! One last thing of note. My first public defender was taking advice from the DA's office because she assumed I was guilty too!
Needless to say, I was acquitted so the system did work in a strange precarious sort of way.