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Sexism

Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 20:47 11325 views 286 comments
Quoting Baden
1) Opinion noted, but believe it or not, we don't read every Agustino post (at least I don't) and rely on members to a degree to flag offensive posts. That or a PM is the most direct way of getting something dealt with.
2) Please use the feedback forum if you want to continue this. This discussion is not about Agustino and any more from anyone about him here will be deleted.


I was explaining what happens when something is left standing that should have been torn down. The fact that sexist remarks are preserved does give me the feeling that the moderators don't care. I did complain to Unenlightened about it at one point. He said he had passed the info along. Nothing happened.

But if I understand you correctly, you'll delete any future sexist remarks from Agustino if I flag them?

Is that right?
:)

Comments (286)

Baden August 14, 2017 at 20:52 #96391
Reply to Mongrel

Of course. And that's always been the case as per the guidelines. Let's not pretend though that there won't be disagreement over what constitutes a sexist remark.
Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 20:54 #96395
Reply to Baden Historically his sexist comments have been over the top, so I doubt that will be an issue.
Baden August 14, 2017 at 21:00 #96398
Reply to Mongrel

I can only hope that @Agustino will use this opportunity to try to understand the effect some of his comments have had and will adjust himself accordingly.
Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 21:07 #96404
Reply to Baden Me too.
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 21:52 #96416

Quoting Mongrel
But if I understand you correctly, you'll delete any future sexist remarks from Agustino if I flag them?

You are such a liar, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Quoting Mongrel
Nothing happened.

Of course nothing happened, cause none of them were sexist. Please list one single sexist comment I made. As I told you in a PM long ago, you have a mental issue it seems where you perceive regular and normal sentences as sexist. In fact, you said to me in one of your last PMs:

Mongrel:Just to let you know: everybody thinks you're sexist. That's how you come across. I'm not sure whether you really care what anybody else thinks, though.

So now please, where the hell are all the people who think that I'm a sexist?! You said everyone thinks I'm a sexist. Let's see the evidence. They can freely speak here, I hold no authority, I'm not even on good terms with the moderators, nobody has any reason to be afraid of me. They can speak their mind. So let's see. But quite the contrary, I predict that many will come to defend me.

Now let's have a look at how crazy Mongrel is. Just look at this:
Mongrel:Are you Greek Orthodox? Or Catholic?

Agustino:That one. Why are you inquiring? :P

Mongrel:Just curious. Can't a person be curious?

Agustino:>:O Yeahhh they can, but I'm curious why you're curious about it :P

Mongrel:I don't really know much about Greek Orthodox.

Agustino:We tend to be more Platonist, more lenient with priests (our priests get to marry), and more focused on contemplation/prayer :P

Mongrel:They frequently don't know much about what the Bible says, but they don't realize they're clueless, so they'll start arguments with Protestants (not realizing that Protestants frequently have read the Bible)

Agustino:I'm not sure if this is true with Catholics in Europe though.

Mongrel:Anyway.. there is a difference between what the Bible says and what constitutes a Christian tradition. It just depends on what's being emphasized, what folklore has been added.. so on.

Agustino:I agree.

Now notice. Out of nowhere. The true wacko:
Mongrel:Could be. The US is heavily Protestant dominated just because the culture is sort of British.
BTW.. you seemed to suggest that rightists are sexist. That's not true at all in the US. Here, sexism is just wacko.

Agustino:lol where did I suggest that? You seem to think I'm sexist, but that's quite false. Understanding the world isn't the same as sexism.

Mongrel:Just to let you know: everybody thinks you're sexist. That's how you come across. I'm not sure whether you really care what anybody else thinks, though.

Agustino:I'm not sure who this "everybody" is, but that's certainly not true. There's many people on these forums, including Americans by the way (and women too) who do not think my views are sexist, and who agree with them. I think you just don't know what you're talking about, or you're just refusing to accept the way things are, namely that there's biological differences between men and women, which is true. Do you want me to provide you with medical journals documenting these differences?
As for this wacky belief:

Mongrel:Here, sexism is just wacko.

Agustino:That screams fear from miles away. Sexism is more rampant in the US than in Europe for that matter, but it seems you'd like to deny even this fact. I actually don't think you quite understand what sexism even means. I'm absolutely not prejudiced against women based on sex, as I've made abundantly clear, the one best fit for the job should do the job.

Mongrel:Fine. You don't want to hear what I'm telling you. I don't care. :P

Agustino:lol - what you're telling me is absurd :P You're talking when you have a President who grabs women by the pussy and objectifies them? :s You're saying that's wacko in the US? Give me a break.

Mongrel:Whatever dude.


Let's see another example of "sexism":

Quoting Agustino
We're dealing with a very big ignoramus in this thread. Whoever dares to say that Kierkegaard is an atheist/mystic who thinks Christianity is dead and he isn't trying to build anything on its grave has probably NEVER read Kierkegaard. If anything Kierkegaard was a conservative Christian who thought that the only way to cure the illnesses of modernity is to return to a personal relationship with God, which is for example a subject addressed in Sickness Unto Death.

Furthermore to suggest Kierkegaard doesn't believe in a personal God is ABSOLUTE lunacy!! Kierkegaard, the man who, along with Pascal, rejected the God of the philosophers for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And to suggest that most Christian mystics don't believe in a personal God - oh dear!

"God is an underlying creative force... something like that."
— Mongrel
>:O >:O >:O >:O Yeah right, cause Christians are New Age believers!

Quoting Mongrel
Yep. He was a mystic. My goodness... two posts attacking me. :D


Quoting Agustino
How was he a mystic if he rejected the God of the philosophers and rather accepted the personal God who directly and literarily spoke with Abraham? :s You're the first person I hear who claims K. to be a mystic, quite a lot of the secondary literature on him that I've read finds him to be anti-mystical if anything.


Quoting Mongrel
Anyone who spends much time contemplating union with the divine is a mystic. I'm not sure how anyone could interpret that as anti-mystical.

We're some ways off topic now.


Quoting Mongrel
Reference?


Quoting Agustino
Read Sickness unto Death, or Either/Or. Also you can check out this book:

Struggling with God: Kierkegaard and the Temptation of Spiritual Trial


quote from Struggling with God:Kierkegaard's emphasis upon God's transcendence could also play an important role in tempering the intimacy of the mystic's relation with God... It is only be an act of grace on God's part and not by the mystic's striving for experience of or union with the Divine that he comes into God's presence. It is in making clear these truths that the value of Kierkegaard's anti-mysticism lies.


Quoting Agustino
By the way you should already be aware that merging into God is HERESY in Christian theology. So Christian mysticism is different than other forms of mysticism. Even Eckhart's mysticism is different.

Theosis - which is union with the Trinity - and is the goal of life according to Orthodox Christianity does not mean the annihilation of the self into God, but rather the self being deified and joining the Three Persons of the Trinity in communion, but still remaining separate.


Quoting Mongrel
I agree he meant that striving doesn't get one there..."power which is impotence"

What document is your quote referencing?


Quoting Agustino
The book I recommended you.

And now, because she was proven wrong, not only by me, but also by Thanatos Sand in that thread, look what she does:
Quoting Mongrel
From Amazon's description of that book:

" Invoking the biblical motif of Jacob's struggle with the Face of God (Genesis 32), Simon D. Podmore undertakes a constructive theological account of 'spiritual trial' (tentatio; known in German mystical and Lutheran tradition as Anfechtung) in relation to enduring questions of the otherness and hiddenness of God and the self, the problem of suffering and evil, the freedom of Spirit, and the anxious relationship between temptation and ordeal, fear and desire. This book traces a genealogy of spiritual trial from medieval German mystical theology, through Lutheran and Pietistic thought (Tauler; Luther; Arndt; Boehme), and reconstructs Kierkegaard's innovative yet under-examined recovery of the category (Anfægtelse: a Danish cognate for Anfechtung) within the modern context of the 'spiritless' decline of Christendom. Developing the relationship between struggle (Anfechtung) and release (Gelassenheit), Podmore proposes a Kierkegaardian theology of spiritual trial which elaborates the kenosis of the self before God in terms of Spirit's restless longing to rest transparently in God. Offering an original rehabilitation of the temptation of spiritual trial, this book strives for a renewed theological hermeneutic which speaks to the enduring human struggle to realise the unchanging love of God in the face of spiritual darkness."

:-}

What's kenosis? Anyway, we're done. Life's too short for me to spend much time talking to a sexist jerk.


Quoting Agustino
Yes what about it? Why aren't you happy about it? It will dispel your misconceptions about the Christian spirituality that K. was advocating and you'll see that it's actually a very Orthodox view.


Quoting Agustino
And it will certainly cure you of your idea that Christianity is dead.


Quoting Agustino
I just saw the "spectacular" additions to your post ...

What's kenosis?
— Mongrel

Kenosis means self-emptying through loving activity.

Anyway, we're done. Life's too short for me to spend much time talking to a sexist jerk.
— Mongrel

:-} Just because I find your comments in this thread stupid and you're a woman doesn't make me a sexist, nor a jerk. You just don't know what you're talking about with regards to Kierkegaard (or Christian mysticism for that matter). Your judgement is so dominated by your 1960s atheistic/humanistic/leftist ideology that you can't even see beyond your own nose. It's pathetic. Everyone who disagrees with you is labeled a sexist.

Every reasonable person will look at Mongrel, and the only plausible reaction will be laughter. Because let me tell you, those crocodile tears of hers, and protestations are nothing but sheer slander. I've never made any sexist comment, unless, of course, you count my arguments against abortion, against casual sex, and such as sexism. Which only a wacko, indeed a true wacko, could think.

Now, back to the topic. Mongrel doesn't understand what sexism is, nor is capable to combat it. If anything, I'm the opposite of sexist, because I respect women. I value women, and they aren't just sexual objects to me. It seems though that Mongrel is upset that women aren't sexual objects to me, because she perceives the freedom of women to be identical to sexual slavery - for her, promiscuous sexual behaviour is freedom. But I argue, as Spinoza did, that quite the contrary, vice and licentiousness is not freedom, but poison, and contrary to the opinion of the dumb majority, it is the ones (both male and female) who give in to their lusts who are in bondage, and those who don't, who are truly free.

I've asked Mongrel multiple times how I or my remarks were sexist. She never said anything, because she slanders based on lies. And why does she slander? Because I'm a conservative, and she has no other way to combat my arguments, but the crocodile tears.

Quoting Mongrel
This is an example of how it works, actually. Agustino is sexist. If he had his way, people like me would be disenfranchised and peripheralized. The people who moderate this forum know that, but they don't care. Every time I see his posts, it just sinks in deeper and deeper with me: the moderators of this forum are just as sexist as he is. They have to be. Why else would they leave his nasty comments up?

Same thing with the statue of Lee. The message it sends to both whites and blacks is counter to what We the People have declared we are and will be.

But as I mentioned to you in PM.. if you make it about personality, you're right. Humanity is a bunch of flawed rascals.

Lies, lies, lies. First of all, where are the nasty comments?! If you cannot produce these nasty comments, I expect a public apology.

Second of all, you already are peripheralized by the very fact that you cannot have a proper conversation. In the middle of a normal conversation you suddenly call people you converse with sexists, and jerks and other things out of nowhere. That's the behaviour of a crazy person.

Third of all, with regards to sexism, "we the people" have actually declared that we are sexist. That's what they declare everytime when you see advertisements which objectify women and their bodies. That's what they declare every time they admire men like Donald Trump who grab women by the pussy (and most men in the US, by the way, are just like Trump - Trump is the alpha male, they'd all want to be like him). That's what they declare every time when they make everything about a woman her physical beauty. That's what your dear American society is doing, not me. Quite the contrary, Agustino is against and fiercely opposed to the objectification of women's bodies. He is opposed to treating women as sexual objects. He wants women to be valued as human beings, and exposes the hypocritical Western society who claims to oppose sexism, while actually loves it and endorses it with its whole heart - including YOU Mongrel.
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 21:58 #96418
Quoting Mongrel
Historically his sexist comments have been over the top, so I doubt that will be an issue.

If you cannot produce the evidence that I am a sexist, do you agree to receive a warning from the moderators for slander? After all, this is exactly what you are doing. If I was amongst the moderators, I'd certainly give you a warning if you fail to produce the evidence. As I said before with TimeLine, it's unacceptable to accuse someone in the absence of evidence - that's slander, and it makes the forum a worse place for all of us.
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 22:04 #96423
Quoting Mongrel
But if I understand you correctly, you'll delete any future sexist remarks from Agustino if I flag them?

Yes of course they will, IF THEY ARE SEXIST. But I don't think you understand what that means. You'll most likely flag my comments about the Orthodox Church or Kierkegaard >:O
Buxtebuddha August 14, 2017 at 22:08 #96428
Heister Eggcart can confirm - Kierkegaard was not a Christian mystic.
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 22:08 #96429
Quoting Buxtebuddha
Meister Eggcart can confirm - Kierkegaard was not a Christian mystic.

Okay, that's enough. Life's too short for me to spend much time talking to a sexist jerk >:O >:O

[hide="Reveal"]I flagged your comment for sexism, btw. The moderators promised they will delete future sexist remarks from Agustino, you're not Agustino, but hopefully they will remove yours too if I flag them >:O[/hide]
Buxtebuddha August 14, 2017 at 22:11 #96430
I think both y'all needa calm down. The only person that needs to be shut down on this forum is Thanatos Harris Sand.
John Harris August 14, 2017 at 22:13 #96431
Reply to Buxtebuddha


Actually, it's Buxtebuddha since he just trolled me out of nowhere again. It's what people who can't actually contribute tend to do...poor kid.
Buxtebuddha August 14, 2017 at 22:15 #96432
Quoting John Harris
Actually, it's Buxtebuddha since he just trolled me out of nowhere again. Maybe if he said something intelligent along with that trolling, but that's beyond his faculties.


Rofl. Right on queue, you fucking madman, >:O
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 22:15 #96433
Quoting Buxtebuddha
Thanatos Harris Sand.

>:)
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 22:16 #96434
Reply to Buxtebuddha You have to admit that Mr. Harris is a little bit like a toy. You press the button, and there he goes! >:O
John Harris August 14, 2017 at 22:16 #96435
Reply to Buxtebuddha
Rofl. Right on queue, you fucking madman, >:O


Rofl. The only mad man is you, and your trolling and mad emolji proves it. Keep on causing conflict, though...:)
John Harris August 14, 2017 at 22:17 #96436
Reply to Agustino
?Buxtebuddha You have to admit that Mr. Harris is a little bit like a toy. You press the button, and there he goes! >:O


Because I respond to your trolling? That only makes the children you who aren't here to talk philosophy but immaturely try to get reactions out of people. How sad.
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 22:18 #96437
Quoting John Harris
That only makes the children you who aren't here to talk philosophy but immaturely try to get reactions out of people. How sad.

Yes, I am a child and you are my toy! X-)
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 22:19 #96438
Reply to John Harris Which button should I press so that you tell me that you won't read any of my future comments in this thread? >:O
John Harris August 14, 2017 at 22:20 #96439
Reply to Agustino
Yes, I am a child and you are my toy! X-)


No, I've clearly made you my toy in our discussions, where you've been left a child well-"spanked"...:)
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 22:21 #96440
Quoting John Harris
No, I've clearly made you my toy in our discussions, where you've been left a child well-"spanked"...:)

Oh yes, my butt is red.
John Harris August 14, 2017 at 22:22 #96441
Reply to Agustino ?John Harris Which button should I press so that you tell me that you won't read any of my future comments in this thread? >:

I've already pushed too many buttons needing to debunk so many of your arguments, I'll let you figure that out.
Buxtebuddha August 14, 2017 at 22:22 #96442
Quoting Agustino
Oh yes, my butt is red.


Wow, are you making fun of American Indians? You goddamned racist.
John Harris August 14, 2017 at 22:22 #96443
Reply to Agustino
— John Harris
Oh yes, my butt is red


On that we can agree...:)
Deleted User August 14, 2017 at 22:27 #96446
I don't notice many of @Agustino 's comments being sexist...
Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 22:30 #96447
Reply to Lone Wolf The bulk of his sexist remarks were made a few months ago. He made a few more a few weeks ago.

It's nice to know there won't be any more. I just have to remember to flag them when Baden is here. None of the others would do anything about it.
Deleted User August 14, 2017 at 22:35 #96449
Reply to Mongrel What exactly did he say?
Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 22:44 #96451
Reply to Lone Wolf I had it all up on twitter at one point. I took it down. His sexism is principled. He would like to see changes (I suppose throughout the world) wherein women lose everything they've gained in last century or so. He associates these views with religion.

I would rather clean out the NYC sewer system than go rambling through his posts, but you can if you want. It's all there (unless he deleted it himself... which would great.)
Deleted User August 14, 2017 at 22:48 #96453
Reply to Mongrel I am afraid that I don't know which thread(s) you are referring to, but I have read much on here for awhile, and haven't noticed anything saying that.
Agustino August 14, 2017 at 22:50 #96455
Reply to Mongrel oh yeah, it's all there, just Google it. >:O

How typical.

You don't have any evidence that I ever made any sexist replies. I ask the moderators to come up with a policy against slander, because it's not the first time things like this happen, and it shouldn't, since it makes the forum a worse place for all of us. It's not fair that particular members get accused based on fancy; it's disgraceful.

@jamalrob
@Baden
John Harris August 14, 2017 at 23:08 #96458
Reply to Agustino
It's not fair that particular members get accused based on fancy; it's disgraceful.


Looks like somebody's buttons really got pushed...:)
Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 23:09 #96461
Quoting John Harris
Looks like somebody's buttons really got pushed...:)


Precisely.
Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 23:11 #96462
Reply to Lone Wolf You can look at his posting history by going to his profile.
Buxtebuddha August 14, 2017 at 23:22 #96469
Quoting Mongrel
You can look at his posting history by going to his profile.


He posts too much for me to do that without losing my mind, :(
Deleted User August 14, 2017 at 23:23 #96470
Reply to Mongrel I have, it would be easier to know exactly what you are talking about if you would be so kind as to just mention the threads, if you don't mind.
Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 23:25 #96472
Reply to Lone Wolf He contributed quite a bit in a thread called something like 'Are women submissive to men?'

Otherwise look at his comments from December of last year. Prior to Trump's taking office his reactionary views were flowing pretty freely.
Mongrel August 14, 2017 at 23:28 #96473
Reply to Agustino You're like Trump. The smart thing to do would be to say "Oh, I'm sorry you took my comments that way. I'll be more careful in future."

That's all I really want.. stop saying sexist crap. But no. You've got to turn it back on me like I'm the villain.
John Harris August 14, 2017 at 23:49 #96475
Reply to Lone Wolf
[Mongrel I have, it would be easier to know exactly what you are talking about if you would be so kind as to just mention the threads, if you don't mind.


He also said in a thread about Trump that most women would enjoy the particular "treatment" he bragged about giving them during the campaign. It was pretty vile.
BC August 15, 2017 at 00:59 #96494
Reply to Mongrel Mongrel, are you experiencing thinning skin? It's a real hazard for anyone participating in a public forum, even this quite civilized, moderated one.

I am a bit surprised that you decided to take your dispute with Agustino public. I'm not worried about Agustino's feelings -- he's quite capable of taking care of himself. But you're likely to not achieve a great victory in this.

Why don't you give us a string of Agustino's alleged sexist comments? If you reported them by PM to the moderators, then you presumably have them in the record of your PMs.

Quoting Mongrel
The bulk of his sexist remarks were made a few months ago. He made a few more a few weeks ago.


Well, dig them up and put them on display.

As for sexism, racism, etc., of course there are sexists and racists here. "We the People" are sexist and racist. Maybe, perhaps, possibly "we the people" wish to be, and it could be that we will be less sexist and racist in the future, and if we do, congratulations to we all. But not yet.
BC August 15, 2017 at 01:04 #96495
Quoting John Harris
He also said in a thread about Trump that most women would enjoy the particular "treatment" he bragged about giving them during the campaign. It was pretty vile.


You also: go get the quote and put it up for examination. Why should anyone take your word for it? (And please differentiate between what Trump said and what Agustino said about, or in response to, Trump.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 01:54 #96509
Quoting Bitter Crank
Mongrel, are you experiencing thinning skin?


Sigh. I guess nobody cares that I was making about point about the effect of apathy when I brought this up (in another thread).

One of my first big life lessons was that complaining about sexism is pointless. I was working as an engineer at AT&T surrounded by guys. It was the mid-80s. Big shoulder pads. But thanks for wanting to give me a bit of heads up. Jesus. You know, I have noticed that you feel the need to register your apathy every time sexism or racism comes up. Odd.

Quoting Bitter Crank
But you're likely to not achieve a great victory in this.


You think? I wasn't expecting any. Baden told me to respond to his comments in the Feedback section. So I did.

[Comment deleted. Flaming is against the rules]
BC August 15, 2017 at 02:01 #96511
Quoting Mongrel
Hey Bitter Crank. Why don't you go fuck yourself?


Now, now...
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:07 #96515
Reply to Bitter Crank Anyway, I seemed to have gotten what I wanted, maybe. Agustino will temper his comments in future.

I do actually resent your response. But I assume you have your reasons. Either way I'm done witcha.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 02:11 #96517
Reply to Bitter Crank Addressing me with "you also" is a great way of getting me not to do something. Start with "please" next time.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:15 #96519
Hey @Mongrel, could you actually define "sexism" for us?
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:16 #96520
Reply to Thorongil [Deleted]
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:16 #96521
Reply to Mongrel Alas, no. Now, about my question.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:17 #96522
Reply to Thorongil [Deleted]
0 thru 9 August 15, 2017 at 02:17 #96523
Deleting thread in 5,4,3,2,1...
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 02:17 #96524
Reply to Thorongil I pity your female co-workers if you need that defined for you.
Dogar August 15, 2017 at 02:17 #96526
Reply to Mongrel Hey Bitter Crank. Why don't you go fuck yourself?

I legitimately cannot tell what's real and what's banter in this thread, but seemingly the burden of proof lies on you.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:17 #96527
Reply to Mongrel I should have. What's sexism?
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:18 #96528
Reply to John Harris He doesn't have co-workers because he's unemployed. But good point... again.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:19 #96529
Reply to Thorongil Why are you asking me that? I don't feel like taxing myself. I was just following Baden's advice when I started this thread. He told me I should have notified a moderator when I first had concerns. I wanted to tell him that I had talked to one, but that nothing happened.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:21 #96530
Quoting John Harris
I pity your female co-workers if you need that defined for you.


You pity them, do you? Why, that sounds a bit sexist to me.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:21 #96531
Reply to Dogar I'm not trying to prove anything. I already got what I wanted.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:22 #96532
Reply to Mongrel Fine. You want to be able to throw around the label without actually having to define it. Don't choke on that cake.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:23 #96533
Reply to Thorongil When you get your job you'll probably get diversity training. They'll explain it to you.
Buxtebuddha August 15, 2017 at 02:23 #96534
Can't be sexist if there are only genders,

[hide="Reveal"]User image[/hide]
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 02:24 #96535
Reply to Thorongil And you show you still don't get it. You must really charm those HR people. Oh, that's right; you don't.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:25 #96537
Reply to Mongrel It won't work. I have too much integrity and intelligence.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:26 #96538
Reply to Thorongil Diversity training is provided to protect the company from law suits. It will work.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:26 #96539
Reply to John Harris HR people are not to be charmed but laughed at and shunned.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:28 #96542
Reply to Mongrel Yes, I know. As I said, I'm intelligent enough to know how to stay hired without accepting their brainwashing attempts and thus maintain my integrity.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 02:31 #96544
Reply to Thorongil So a little heads up on how this works: nobody gives a shit if you're sexist or racist or whatever. It's your speech and behavior that we care about. So if you keep yourself hired, your speech and behavior are acceptable.

Likewise, I don't care if Agustino is sexist. I just want him to keep his sexist comments to himself. Now I know that at least Baden will delete his sexist crap. He knows it too.

Yay!
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 02:33 #96545
[Reply to Thorongil Apparently not.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 02:34 #96546
Quoting Mongrel
Now I know that at least Baden will delete his sexist crap.


But... this assumes you know what sexism is. If sexism means "whatever Mongrel and Baden deem to be sexist," then anything could be sexist, and that's a recipe for abuse.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 02:37 #96547
Reply to Thorongil No, your line of questioning assumes she doesn't know and needs to prove she does to you. She doesnt
0 thru 9 August 15, 2017 at 02:44 #96549
What we all need right now is a big group hug! C'mon, everybody!
(L) (L) (L) (L) (L) (L) :D
BC August 15, 2017 at 02:50 #96552
Quoting Mongrel
Either way I'm done witcha.


Merciful God.
Noble Dust August 15, 2017 at 03:03 #96554
User image
Baden August 15, 2017 at 03:09 #96555
@Mongrel It would be helpful if you could give at least one or two examples here of posts by @Agustino you consider objectionable. In which case we mods can transparently set some kind of a benchmark so everyone knows what is acceptable and what is not.

In any case, folks, here are the relevant guidelines:

"Racists, homophobes, sexists, Nazi sympathisers, etc.: We don't consider your views worthy of debate, and you'll be banned for espousing them."

"Admins have the right to ban members. We don't do that lightly, and you will probably be warned about your behaviour if you are under consideration for a ban. However, if you are a spammer, troll, racist or in some other way obviously unsuited to the forum, a summary ban will be applied."

So, the best use for this discussion would be to clarify as best we can what we consider sexist and how it will be dealt with.
BC August 15, 2017 at 03:18 #96561
Mongrel concluded her learned comments with "Hey Bitter Crank. Why don't you go fuck yourself?" This confused Mr. Dogar:

Quoting Dogar
I legitimately cannot tell what's real and what's banter in this thread, but seemingly the burden of proof lies on you.


I didn't feel any lacerations from the verbal lash wielded by our esteemed colleague, Ms. Mongrel, so it would seem that her admonition "Why don't you go fuck yourself" was probably closer to banter than a real suggestion.

Were I to have felt lacerated, it would be evidence that my skin was thinning out -- an unfortunate condition I had suggested that SHE might be suffering from. (I use a personal deflector shield which is fairly effective at neutralizing caustic comments (comments far worse than "go fuck yourself").

My response to you is 100% banter, with just enough edge to it so that if Mongrel read it she will be further annoyed--not annoyed a lot, of course, since this is a civilized cyber salon.

We try not to actually enrage each other because we just never know when someone will finally lose their grip on reality and will tear themselves away from the computer and begin devastating the countryside in acts of appalling mayhem. While the spectacle of wise and learnéd philosophers melting down and going ballistic is really quite interesting, it is dangerous.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 03:21 #96563
Reply to Baden Here, Baden. Augustino wrote this on page 42 of the Post-Truth thread. It's both sexist and repellent:

?Agustino
The women on TV pretend they are disgusted by what Trump does to them. But secretly, they all desire it, and wish they were the ones. In the polls they pretend not to vote for Trump - but when they're alone, with themselves inside the booth, they cast their vote where their hearts are. It is good - they imagine - to pretend to morality but act immorally.
Baden August 15, 2017 at 03:25 #96564
Reply to John Harris

I agree that's sexist. Any dissenting opinions?

Noble Dust August 15, 2017 at 03:30 #96566
Reply to Baden

But yes, that is sexist, and I'm surprised to find that Agustino said that. but it's not a direct quote, so I would appreciate a proper quote so as to see context.
Baden August 15, 2017 at 03:32 #96568
Reply to Noble Dust

Any off-topic stuff will be deleted. Let's try to stay on track here. (Start a separate discussion if you want to do that.)

John Harris August 15, 2017 at 03:39 #96570
Reply to Noble Dust It's on page 42 of the Post-Truth thread. Go check it out for yourself. I direct quoted it at the end of that thread.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 03:41 #96571
Reply to Baden

How many do you want?

Quoting Agustino
I think women (in the modern age, and in the West) are NOT submissive to men.

I think women (in the modern age, and in the West) are NOT submissive to men sexually, nor intellectually.

I think philosophers are generally dominating. Indeed, being dominating is a trait required for success in philosophy.

I think women should be more submissive (as should men by the way) than they currently are - generally speaking. I'm saying this just cause most people are bloody selfish at the moment - which is the opposite of submissive.

I don't think women should be more submissive to men sexually, but neither should they use sex as a way of dominating men, which, unfortunately, I see more and more women doing in the West.

Women should be more submissive to men intellectually than they currently are, on average, as men seem to make better decision makers. Why? Because men can be ruthless, aggressive and competitive much more frequently than women, traits which are required for making great decisions in the world. This largely has to do with biological makeup (testosterone).


Baden August 15, 2017 at 03:44 #96576
Reply to Mongrel

I agree that's sexist (towards the end at least). Any dissenting opinions?

As I said, setting benchmarks here so feel free to pipe in.

Noble Dust August 15, 2017 at 03:47 #96577
Quoting Agustino
I think women (in the modern age, and in the West) are NOT submissive to men.


This is a statement about his opinion on the state of submissiveness in the sexes. It's not specifically sexist.

Quoting Agustino
I think women (in the modern age, and in the West) are NOT submissive to men sexually, nor intellectually.


Same

Quoting Agustino
I think philosophers are generally dominating. Indeed, being dominating is a trait required for success in philosophy.


No mention of gender

Quoting Agustino
I think women should be more submissive (as should men by the way) than they currently are - generally speaking. I'm saying this just cause most people are bloody selfish at the moment - which is the opposite of submissive.


Vague; not a sentiment I would tentatively agree with, but it's hard to know what he means here without more context.

Quoting Agustino
I don't think women should be more submissive to men sexually, but neither should they use sex as a way of dominating men, which, unfortunately, I see more and more women doing in the West.


Definitely not sexist.

Quoting Agustino
Women should be more submissive to men intellectually than they currently are, on average, as men seem to make better decision makers. Why? Because men can be ruthless, aggressive and competitive much more frequently than women, traits which are required for making great decisions in the world. This largely has to do with biological makeup (testosterone).


Definitely sexist.
BC August 15, 2017 at 03:47 #96578
Reply to John Harris Agustino is speculating about how women on TV (not all women in general) secretly desire to be humiliated by Trump. He notes that this is hypocritical, because they publicly profess to be appalled. (There could be some truth to this, in some specific cases, could there not? I think people are prone to hold irrational desires--men and women both.)

It is, I suppose, sexist and certainly unflattering. It would be more serious if the comment were directed at women here because it would be more personal and hurtful. Men and women speculate on the motives and flaws of each other's behavior all the time and while it may be sexist and unflattering, it doesn't rise to the level of a "hanging offense".

It may be sexist to suggest that women are not as good at math, or music, or art as men are, but that seems to me to be a possible opinion. Camille Paglia noted in her book Sexual Personae that women have had two centuries of extensive access to art instruction and art materials without producing much notable art. Is that sexist?
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 03:48 #96579
Quoting Agustino
Now they have the education and opportunity. Are they as successful as men in terms of leadership capability? No. On average they'll probably never be as successful as men in terms of leadership, because again, they are just programmed differently biologically. Women don't want to dominate, to engage in conflict, etc. Why not? Because they have lower testosterone levels. Such desires are necessary for effective leadership, maybe less so in some areas of the world today, but fundamentally they are. Only 4.2% of Fortune 500 companies have a woman CEO. Really there's no competition, here, most women simply do not have the biological drive to compete with men in terms of leadership. They excel in other attributes - peace, compassion, emotional resilience etc. being some of them.
Noble Dust August 15, 2017 at 03:49 #96580
Reply to Mongrel

Do you disagree that women have lower testosterone levels?
Dogar August 15, 2017 at 03:51 #96581
Thank you for clearing matters up for me, Bitter Crank. It is difficult to appreciate the lay of the land when just starting out.

Reply to Baden Interestingly enough, the ending is rather reminiscent of the Google memo making headlines at the beginning of this week (which was, as per usual, hilariously misinterpreted by leftists desperate to outleft each other). It could be argued that such claims are considered sexist under neo-cultural Marxist ideology - yet many social scientists would agree that such discourse is and should be up for debate and that more research should be done on the topic. It's not inherently sexist to question the status quo.

Edit: it could also be argued that attempting to silence dissenting views as sexism is in actuality a form of censorship. All of the quotes supplied thus far have been brash and self-assured, sure, but are they really topics we should not contemplate, especially in an era of diversity and identity politics? Can we justify gender quotas et cetera if we are not prepared to ask difficult questions pertaining to their effectiveness? The quotes seem acceptable for discussion to me. In my opinion sexism is too easily thrown around in 2017 as a synonym or excuse for not having to read an opinion one disagrees with.

Edit 2: John Harris' post below me embodies the type of attitude I'm referring too. Delete evil, see no evil, hear no evil, immune to the possibility of ever actually having to debate evil... is this not a philosophy forum I have recently joined? One should be convicted enough in their own beliefs to be capable of challenging them!
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 03:54 #96582
Reply to Bitter Crank I know exactly what Augustino was doing Crank, and it was sexist--if not downright misogynist--and vile. To say all the women on TV who protested--and that's a lot--actually want to be groped is disgusting and wrong. The specious and irrelevant claim "there could be some truth to that" doesn't change that. And, honestly, since you seem to be a fairly thoughtful person, your defense of that sexist vileness is more repellent than his statement. I can't believe you defended that. And I won't read your response. I don't engage people who defend such filth.
BC August 15, 2017 at 03:57 #96586
Quoting Agustino
Because men can be ruthless, aggressive and competitive


Is it bad to say that women aren't ruthless, aggressive, and competitive enough? When did ruthless aggressive competitiveness become a virtue to be prized?
Noble Dust August 15, 2017 at 04:00 #96589
Reply to Bitter Crank

That's the irony of the world we live in. It's wrong for men to force those characteristics on women; but it's liberating for women to force those characteristics on men. Revenge, mothaf***as!
BC August 15, 2017 at 04:03 #96590
Reply to Noble Dust And that is the tangle we get into when trying to lay down rules about how men and women can talk about alleged sexual/gender differences, imagined sexual/gender differences, and real sexual/gender differences (maybe it is sexist to think there are differences?).

Some people maintain that there just are no differences (other than anatomical) between men and women. It seems to me that evolution would have led to differences beyond the anatomical. But the "biology is not destiny" crowd dislike that kind of idea. To some extent biology is destiny -- Guys, just try to conceive a baby in your belly.
BC August 15, 2017 at 04:14 #96595
Reply to John Harris Hey, I found both Trump's actual behavior and his own reported behavior toward women during the campaign to be quite wrong. I don't know whether Agustino thinks "all women" are attracted to crude, sexually aggressive males or not. I doubt very much that he thinks that. I would allow, however, that it is possible some women are. Why? Because men and women both are capable of irrational sex-role (and other) behavior, that when they observed it in other people would readily identify it as unwise, but are none the less sometimes themselves attracted to it.

As Freud observed, "People are not masters of their own houses."
Baden August 15, 2017 at 04:21 #96596
I need to take a break from the discussion for a little while. Feel free to continue the debate but just to clarify, sexist comments, which include stereotyping women, have no part to play in this forum except to be ridiculed, despised and ultimately deleted. I hope going forward everyone will take that on board.
Noble Dust August 15, 2017 at 04:26 #96599
Quoting Bitter Crank
rules about how men and women can talk about alleged sexual/gender differences


This is exactly the problem. "Rules".
BC August 15, 2017 at 04:28 #96601
Quoting Baden
"Racists, homophobes, sexists, Nazi sympathisers, etc.: We don't consider your views worthy of debate, and you'll be banned for espousing them."


It will be easy to identify neo-nazi views--they are (supposedly) outside commonly recognized norms of rational thinking. Racism, homophobia, and sexism, however, fall outside, inside, and astride the commonly recognized norms of rational thinking BECAUSE the book hasn't been closed on what are acceptable and unacceptable ideas about sexuality, race, and homosexuality.

Whoever it was who wrote the guidelines probably had a picture of racists, sexists, and homophobes in their mind, and were confident that they would be able to pick out violations of the rules. Perhaps they can. But it is as likely that the moderators will have fairly fuzzy ideas of how sexists, homophobes, and racists write, and will get it wrong -- at least sometimes. (That's not a deficiency on the part of moderators. It's just life.)
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 04:52 #96605
Reply to Bitter Crank

You're not even on the field with such objections. The issue is not that there no difference between any one, but rather that the identification of any such difference is misused.

In the sort of position and questions you are asking, you take difference not to be a measure of someone's behaviour or even competency performing a task, but rather a purveyor of status, that is, the existence of some particular difference gives a certain category of people the right to a certain value, authority or role.

Differences are used in this way to split society into respective teams of value (women and men) and then said difference is used to cordon off a particular social context (e.g. art, math, emotion, etc.) to one particular sex, such that it becomes unthinkable to consider a sex ever possessing authority on that context.


Bitter Crank:It may be sexist to suggest that women are not as good at math, or music, or art as men are, but that seems to me to be a possible opinion. Camille Paglia noted in her book Sexual Personae that women have had two centuries of extensive access to art instruction and art materials without producing much notable art. Is that sexist?


So yes, this sexist. Not because of a lack of differences, but rather because it is born from a use of "difference" which uses it as a self-fulfilling prophecy. The value of any art by women cannot be recognised, for it is outright dismissed, for because of "difference," women just don't do that sort of thing. Bring up the work of a women and the hoops will come out-- "She's not famous enough," "Her work only follows the experiences of a family," "She didn't made enough money," "It's not a totalising work of genius," etc.-- which are laden with dismissive value judgements which lock the work of women out of "notable art" as is required.

Women don't have anything to prove. The abilities of a person or the role they fill isn't dependent on some "difference" they've been assigned because of there category. It just a question of what they do. The status posturing of "prove someone X category" can do this just isn't relevant. If they do, a person will act.

With respect to sexism, the of differences wants no difference. Highly different or completely the same, the sexist nature of the difference argument remains. In either world, it's possible for there to be individuals who break such generalised rules, meaning such rules have no impact with respect to defining the presence of someone who does or doesn't do something.

In this identification of sexism, we move from descriptions or questions which claim status of a particular group (e.g. only men are suited to be leaders because they are more often aggressive, only women are suited to be carers because the are more often nurturing), to descriptions of the people as the exist interacting in society (e.g. this women's art has been dismissed because society has a cultural system which rejects it's value).

The categories "male" and "female" simply have no relevance because they are not any existing person who performs an action or role. Any individual's competence, and so their value at performing a certain task, cannot be measured in such a category.
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 05:25 #96609
Some resources for those interested -

On the myth that testosterone largely accounts for differences in behaviour between men and woman:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-02/testosterone-rex-stop-blaming-sexism-on-hormones/8310854 [article]
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/18/testosterone-rex-review-cordelia-fine [article]
https://www.amazon.com/Testosterone-Rex-Myths-Science-Society/dp/0393082083 [book]

On the institutional basis of gender differences in art:

http://www.writing.upenn.edu/library/Nochlin-Linda_Why-Have-There-Been-No-Great-Women-Artists.pdf [essay, pdf]

On the general myths regarding biological difference and behaviour, with respect to the recent 'Google memo' fracas:

http://www.salon.com/2017/08/08/the-ugly-pseudoscientific-history-behind-that-sexist-google-manifesto/ [article]
https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2017/08/men-have-always-used-science-to-explain-why-theyre-better-than-women/ [article]

Other resources re: biological difference and behaviour:

https://www.amazon.com/Delusions-Gender-Society-Neurosexism-Difference/dp/0393340244
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Storm-Flaws-Science-Differences/dp/0674063511
https://www.amazon.com/Myths-Gender-Biological-Theories-Revised/dp/0465047920

--

Re: moderation; I think it is fair to consider the perpetuation of myths regarding the sexes as sexist. I think that within certain limits, it is also fair to allow posts that perpetuate those myths to stand, if only so that others can expose them for the myths that they are. Beyond which, as usual, moderation will be contextual.
BlueBanana August 15, 2017 at 07:39 #96621
Reply to 0 thru 9 Fortunately not, this site has an excellent moderation.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 08:07 #96624
Reply to John Harris Reply to Baden No, that's not sexist. Context matters. It is polemic writing, hyperbolic at times, to emphasise a point. Also notice that I am critical of that hypocrisy. If that's sexist, oh dear, I don't want to show you what kind of comments Nietzsche and other great philosophers put out there.

Quoting Agustino
If someone asks us why shall a good man support Trump - then we shall answer that Trump is the truth of man, and we want our brother to have an honest look at himself. How can we change the world if we refuse to look at our own face, maybe for the first time? Those cowards, some of whom make their presence felt in this thread by protesting against Trump, are pony-hugging liberals in disguise. They hate Trump because they hate themselves - they will refuse to see their own wretchedness reflected in Trump - so they have to get rid of Trump, only to suppress their own selves.

How utterly hilarious to see them crying about Trump slighting the Truth, when their favorite TV shows slight the Truth each and every day, and behold, they keep on watching? Have they just now awakened and opened their eyes onto the world? Have they been fast asleep, so drawn into their petty play not to know the world they're living in? One has to wonder how deep blindness and stupidity can go.

They would all like to be the overmen on Wall Street, only that they lack the strength - they lack the opportunity. If only power were placed in their hands. But being weak, they hide their desire from themselves - so that they may be able to live with themselves. Instead they promote a fake morality - a hypocritical morality - motivated by their ressentiment and hatred of themselves and of the powerful (whom they nevertheless want to emulate). So on the one hand they condemn theft - but on the other they reward the thief by doing business with him. On the one hand they condemn adultery - on the other they enjoy seeing it in their movies. With one hand they take away, and with the other, behind their backs so that their eyes do not see, they give back what was taken!

That is their pity, for they have never actually rejected immorality. They have just deceived themselves, thinking that they have rejected what is immoral. But they haven't. The sad part is that their so called morality is a reaction to immorality, and not authentic and in-itself, and has the same illusory and shadowy constitution that its parent has. That is why when push comes to shove, they shall once again resort to immorality. If their daughter can marry that unrighteous rich man, then they will immediately agree, and at once will have forgotten all their concerns about morality.

The world pretends to hate men like Trump but actually loves them. The women on TV pretend they are disgusted by what Trump does to them. But secretly, they all desire it, and wish they were the ones. In the polls they pretend not to vote for Trump - but when they're alone, with themselves inside the booth, they cast their vote where their hearts are. It is good - they imagine - to pretend to morality but act immorally. We all knew, when we were speaking of morals, that it was merely speaking after all. When we hurt the other - we will retort by "I thought you'd be doing the same" - for we know that what we say is mere politics and nothing more. Indeed, we are surprised by those who expect us to keep our word - that person is really an Idiot for us. Suddenly the mask will go off, and our real face will show.

And the world pretends to love men like Marcus Aurelius, but actually hates them to the core, for true morality disrupts hypocrisy and pulls the cover. And men are too afraid to look at their own faces, and will do anything to keep the veil covering it. They will then start speaking of the complete acceptance of life as it is - as if there was anything more in there than a covert pleading to accept immorality, to drop the pretence. For their heart truly lusts for what is unclean, and their mind only pretends that it is otherwise. They envy Trump, instead of pity him. Indeed, they condemn pity, as the emotion belonging to the weak. But it is only the strong man who can look down on another with compassion and pity, for only the strong man knows what the other lacks. The weak can only look up at what they deem to be the strong with envy. And the one they deem to be the strong shows what their real values are.

When theft, adultery, promiscuity, deception, and the like become the standard - then the immoral shall look up to people exemplifying these "qualities". Even as they condemn them - they shall condemn - but it will be only in speaking, for in reality they will secretly envy those people. For their hearts have not yet renounced evil - nor have their minds seen evil as evil - rather they persist in secretly seeing evil as good.

Few and treasured as the stars in the heavens are those who are truly moral in their hearts, and love God with all their mind, heart, body and soul.
BlueBanana August 15, 2017 at 08:15 #96626
Quoting Agustino
It is polemic writing, hyperbolic at times, to emphasise a point.


Noice.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 08:29 #96631
After reading through this thread I am more convinced than ever before; Feminists (not all but most) are those who most of all hold to ressentiment values these days. But what do they believe in? Religion/spirit? Most of times no. Biology? They may claim it, but in truth no.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 08:29 #96632
Quoting StreetlightX
Some resources for those interested -

On the myth that testosterone largely accounts for differences in behaviour between men and woman:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-02/testosterone-rex-stop-blaming-sexism-on-hormones/8310854 [article]
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/18/testosterone-rex-review-cordelia-fine [article]
https://www.amazon.com/Testosterone-Rex-Myths-Science-Society/dp/0393082083 [book]

On the institutional basis of gender differences in art:

http://www.writing.upenn.edu/library/Nochlin-Linda_Why-Have-There-Been-No-Great-Women-Artists.pdf [essay, pdf]

On the general myths regarding biological difference and behaviour, with respect to the recent 'Google memo' fracas:

http://www.salon.com/2017/08/08/the-ugly-pseudoscientific-history-behind-that-sexist-google-manifesto/ [article]
https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2017/08/men-have-always-used-science-to-explain-why-theyre-better-than-women/ [article]

Other resources re: biological difference and behaviour:

https://www.amazon.com/Delusions-Gender-Society-Neurosexism-Difference/dp/0393340244
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Storm-Flaws-Science-Differences/dp/0674063511
https://www.amazon.com/Myths-Gender-Biological-Theories-Revised/dp/0465047920

No, postmodernism and other pseudo science is not evidence. Let me provide you with some actual medical articles cited in MEDICAL/SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS, not philosophy pretending to be science by your favorite authors:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3388783/
https://stanmed.stanford.edu/2017spring/how-mens-and-womens-brains-are-different.html
http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v22/n12/full/nm1216-1370.html?linkId=32115028

Quoting StreetlightX
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/library/Nochlin-Linda_Why-Have-There-Been-No-Great-Women-Artists.pdf [essay, pdf]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Nochlin - art historian, not a scientist.

Quoting StreetlightX
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-02/testosterone-rex-stop-blaming-sexism-on-hormones/8310854 [article]
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/18/testosterone-rex-review-cordelia-fine [article]

Bullshit non-medical articles.

Quoting StreetlightX
https://www.amazon.com/Testosterone-Rex-Myths-Science-Society/dp/0393082083 [book]

Academic psychologist.

Quoting StreetlightX
https://www.amazon.com/Delusions-Gender-Society-Neurosexism-Difference/dp/0393340244
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Storm-Flaws-Science-Differences/dp/0674063511
https://www.amazon.com/Myths-Gender-Biological-Theories-Revised/dp/0465047920

Academic psychologist (same as before).
Sociomedical scientist.
Professor of Biology and Gender studies.

Please give some reputable scientific - not philosophic - discussions of gender differences by actual scientists - I'm referring here to MEDICAL doctors primarily, neuroscientists, and the like.
mcdoodle August 15, 2017 at 08:33 #96634
Quoting Agustino
The women on TV pretend they are disgusted by what Trump does to them. But secretly, they all desire it, and wish they were the ones.


1. Thanks for the reminder of the context. I still think it's profoundly sexist: you claim to know what women secretly want, and you don't. I think you were sexist towards Mongrel, and to and about TimeLine.

2. Responding to a thread about a complaint with a long diatribe as you did at the beginning of this thread was rude and bullying. It's a rhetorical way of saying, If you complain about me, I'll harangue you in return.

3. To all: this forum has very few women in it. Sometimes it seems to me appallingly like a men's club. Some of the remarks on this thread remind me of blokes either ganging up together, or finding nits to pick when they know in their hearts that the smell of a place is masculine. We should be welcoming to all, and focus on philosophy, not personalities.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 08:38 #96635
Quoting Agustino
I think women (in the modern age, and in the West) are NOT submissive to men.

I think women (in the modern age, and in the West) are NOT submissive to men sexually, nor intellectually.

I think philosophers are generally dominating. Indeed, being dominating is a trait required for success in philosophy.

I think women should be more submissive (as should men by the way) than they currently are - generally speaking. I'm saying this just cause most people are bloody selfish at the moment - which is the opposite of submissive.

I don't think women should be more submissive to men sexually, but neither should they use sex as a way of dominating men, which, unfortunately, I see more and more women doing in the West.

Women should be more submissive to men intellectually than they currently are, on average, as men seem to make better decision makers. Why? Because men can be ruthless, aggressive and competitive much more frequently than women, traits which are required for making great decisions in the world. This largely has to do with biological makeup (testosterone).

None of them are sexist. The middle one saying that women (and men) should be more submissive is a fact. We're all too arrogant. The last one is the only possible one which you can argue about, but it is based on statistical evidence that we have in leadership. If you read the thread, I gave examples of it such as:

Quoting Agustino
Now they have the education and opportunity. Are they as successful as men in terms of leadership capability? No. On average they'll probably never be as successful as men in terms of leadership, because again, they are just programmed differently biologically. Women don't want to dominate, to engage in conflict, etc. Why not? Because they have lower testosterone levels. Such desires are necessary for effective leadership, maybe less so in some areas of the world today, but fundamentally they are. Only 4.2% of Fortune 500 companies have a woman CEO. Really there's no competition, here, most women simply do not have the biological drive to compete with men in terms of leadership. They excel in other attributes - peace, compassion, emotional resilience etc. being some of them.


Quoting Agustino
I said on average. There can be exceptions. So yes, if I see that historically men are more effective leaders than women, generally speaking, I will conclude that they are better suited to be leaders, in the absence of any other evidence.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/shenegotiates/2012/04/10/brain-scientists-tackle-possible-biological-basis-for-gender-leadership-gap/#4d5991706154

Now if Stanford brain scientists are sexist for trying to explain the leadership difference through biological differences, then I don't know what planet you are living on. Now science will not be allowed - that's what the postmodernists like StreelightX want - they want to shame science, because it doesn't give them the conclusions that they want.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 08:42 #96637
Quoting mcdoodle
1. Thanks for the reminder of the context. I still think it's profoundly sexist: you claim to know what women secretly want, and you don't

So you claim that none of the women on TV for that matter want to have sex with Trump or even be dominated be him?! You claim it's incoherent that any of the woman in question have such a desire? Is that your claim? Because I can tell you that most men would want to have sex with someone famous, as would most women, by the way. That's what our society encourages (badly), not me.

Quoting mcdoodle
I think you were sexist towards Mongrel, and to and about TimeLine.

Can you please cite one instance of me being sexist towards Mongrel or TL?

Quoting mcdoodle
Responding to a thread about a complaint with a long diatribe as you did at the beginning of this thread was rude and bullying. It's a rhetorical way of saying, If you complain about me, I'll harangue you in return.

No, I think what's rude is accusing me publicly based on no evidence for being a sexist. That's indeed rude.

Quoting mcdoodle
We should be welcoming to all, and focus on philosophy, not personalities.

Agreed. I am welcoming to women, I even speak with some of them frequently via PMs. So I have no idea what you're talking about with regards to me.
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 08:48 #96638
Quoting Agustino
No, that's not sexist. Context matters. It is polemic writing, hyperbolic at times, to emphasise a point.


Nah, it's pretty fucking disgusting, tempered only by the fact the whole piece of writing is so numbingly overwrought and self-unaware that the only way to read any of it is as inadvertent self-parody.

Re: sources, I've no desire to get into a citation war with you. I'll only mention that (1) to think that issues of gender difference can only be legitimately discussed by medical or scientific sources exclusively is already to illegitimately pre-suppose the terms of discussion, and that (2) your (consistent) inability to see past labels and titles leaves any discussion of substance woefully hollow.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 08:51 #96639
Quoting Beebert
After reading through this thread I am more convinced than ever before; Feminists (not all but most) are those who most of all hold to ressentiment values these days. But what do they believe in? Religion/spirit? Most of times no. Biology? They may claim it, but in truth no.

No, they believe in postmodernist philosophy :P
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 08:52 #96641
Quoting ?????????????
Oh, whatever happened to Agustino's skepticism of doctors and medicine.

You mean my criticism on doctor's diagnosing people with regards to, especially, mental illnesses? What does that have to do with this? :s Yes I distrust the diagnosis of practicing doctors, not the knowledge that doctors who work in research are accumulating.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 08:53 #96642
Quoting StreetlightX
Nah, it's pretty fucking disgusting, tempered only by the fact the whole piece of writing is so numbingly overwrought and self-unaware that the only way to read any of it is as inadvertent self-parody.

You are right, it is. That's why I wrote it, to show how disgusting our society is. It's a critique, not an agreement.

Quoting StreetlightX
(1) to think that issues of gender difference can only be legitimately discussed by medical or scientific sources exclusively is already to illegitimately pre-suppose the terms of discussion

Oh, so the issues of gender differences must be discussed by postmodernist feminist philosophers, otherwise they're wrong and have to be shamed in public as you advocated right?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:00 #96644
Quoting ?????????????
Sorry, I forgot to mention that against any evidence or appeal, he can always appeal to independent thinking. Reason.

Right, what does this have to do with medical research? :s I clearly trust medical research, otherwise how do you think I gained a decent grasp of medicine? How can I question a doctor and distrust him when he wants to treat me, if not by referring to medical research? :s
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:03 #96645
Quoting Agustino
You are right, it is. That's why I wrote it, to show how disgusting our society is. It's a critique.


I'm not sure that you know what self-parody is, but sure, ok.

Quoting Agustino
Oh, so the issues of gender differences must be discussed by postmodernist feminist philosophers, otherwise they're wrong and have to be shamed in public as you advocated right?


For someone who complains about being read badly, you sure have a singular inability to, er, read.

---

I'll also note that that your Forbes article simply points to the sheer fact that the Stanford team are looking into any such differences; it doesn't say anything about the results of any such investigation. The article itself emphasises that much of the difference in gender behaviour is culturally and not biologically accounted for. Again, so much for your reading abilities.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:10 #96647
Quoting ?????????????
I don't think you've gained any decent grasp of medicine, fella. I think you're among the most inconsistent and intellectually dishonest persons around here.

So again, please explain to me how I will distrust my doctor if not by appealing to medical research? I can give you one specific example of when I distrusted my doctor, and we can discuss it if you want. This should be very easy for you to explain, granted that you think my grasp of medicine is minimal (although I've been told my doctors that my grasp is similar to a 3rd year medicine student). In fact, here's an explanation of what can account for shortness of breath to Tiff in the Shoutbox:

Hmm I just saw this now, didn't move on the previous page until now. Yes, anemia can definitely cause such symptoms. If there's not enough hemoglobin cells to carry oxygen around your body, then even if your heart is pumping right, and your lungs are oxygenating right, then there will not be enough oxygen going around, and you will start feeling short of breath.

Think of it like this. Your hemoglobin cells are like railcars. Your heart is the engine of those railcars. And your lungs are the factory where the railcars get their goodies from. The railcars need to transport a certain level of goodies in order to supply for everyone who needs them (that is the rest of your body). So maybe there's not enough railcars (anemia - low hemoglobin). Maybe the right goods are replaced with poisonous goods (such as carbon monoxide poisoning). Maybe the engine of the railcars isn't working well - so they don't get around the body (that's the heart). Maybe the factory doesn't produce enough oxygen (that would be the lungs). Or maybe the control centre (the brain) fires off the wrong signal (can happen with a variety of conditions, including very often psychological ones, such as anxiety disorders). These are some of the possibilities that can account for shortness of breath. Oh - useful thing to remember is that blood oxygenation is measured as a percentage of railcars (hemoglobin) that are full, and are passing by wherever you have the pulse oxymeter placed (typically the finger). It doesn't matter what they're full with, whether it's oxygen or carbon monoxide. But that's what it would indicate. Say 97% of hemoglobin are carrying something. So you can imagine the conditions where you'd have a high level of SpO2 and yet still have a problem using the metaphor above. Anemia for example would be one of them.


Quoting ?????????????
I think you're among the most inconsistent and intellectually dishonest persons around here.

:-}
Michael August 15, 2017 at 09:16 #96648
Quoting Agustino
So you claim that none of the women on TV for that matter want to have sex with Trump or even be dominated be him?! You claim it's incoherent that any of the woman in question have such a desire? Is that your claim?


I believe his claim was just that you don't know that all the women on TV who claim to be disgusted by Trump are just pretending and secretly desire what Trump does to women.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:17 #96649
Quoting Michael
I believe his claim was just that you don't know that all the women on TV who claim to be disgusted by Trump are just pretending and secretly desire what Trump does to women.

I agree with that though. Of course I don't. I'm arguing that just some of them are like that, of course not all, that would be silly.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:18 #96650
Quoting ?????????????
I don't think you've gained any decent grasp of medicine, fella. I think you're among the most inconsistent and intellectually dishonest persons around here.

So please, I'm waiting for you to respond. You've made two claims, (1) that I have a poor grasp of medicine, and (2) that I'm contradicting myself by distrusting my doctors during treatment and by trusting medical research with regards to gender differences and other things. So now please show us how you're right. Because I think you're just slandering, and you should be ashamed of yourself to tell you the truth.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:18 #96651
Reply to ????????????? You and your ilk came in this thread just to throw stones.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 09:19 #96652
Reply to Agustino But you did say "The women on TV pretend they are disgusted by what Trump does to them. But secretly, they all desire it, and wish they were the ones.". And as you have now just admitted that "of course not all, that would be silly", you must also admit that mcdoodle was right to call you out on your claim.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:20 #96653
Quoting Michael
But you did say "The women on TV pretend they are disgusted by what Trump does to them. But secretly, they all desire it, and wish they were the ones."

What did I say about that piece of writing?
Quoting Agustino
It is polemic writing, hyperbolic at times, to emphasise a point.
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:21 #96654
A polemic, sexist piece of writing.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:21 #96655
Quoting Michael
And as you have now just admitted that "of course not all, that would be silly", you must also admit that mcdoodle was right to call you out on your claim.

Yes, he would have been right if I made that assertion in a context which leaned itself to be interpreted as a categorical statement. But in the context of the rest of the writing, which is just exaggerated for polemical and rhetorical effect, it cannot be interpreted as anything else but hyperbolic.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:22 #96656
Quoting StreetlightX
A polemic, sexist piece of writing.

Yes, how about you worry about Nietzsche's writings then, will you?! If what I wrote is sexist, then what Nietzsche wrote is racist, sexist and psychotic to the extreme. But of course it seems you will selectively distinguish between polemic writing, depending on who the author happens to be.
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:23 #96657
Sure. And?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:23 #96658
Quoting Agustino
But of course it seems you will selectively distinguish between polemic writing, depending on who the author happens to be.

Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:24 #96659
Herr Nietzsche isn't a member of this forum.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:26 #96661
Reply to StreetlightX My point is that the nature of polemic writing is to be hyperbolic.

My other point is that that entire post had nothing to do with gender differences or sexism, but rather the state of Western society. So if to talk about the state of Western society is sexism, then I think you need to check what sexism means. I gave examples of hypocrisy there.

Quoting Agustino
And the world pretends to love men like Marcus Aurelius, but actually hates them to the core, for true morality disrupts hypocrisy and pulls the cover. And men are too afraid to look at their own faces, and will do anything to keep the veil covering it. They will then start speaking of the complete acceptance of life as it is - as if there was anything more in there than a covert pleading to accept immorality, to drop the pretence. For their heart truly lusts for what is unclean, and their mind only pretends that it is otherwise. They envy Trump, instead of pity him. Indeed, they condemn pity, as the emotion belonging to the weak. But it is only the strong man who can look down on another with compassion and pity, for only the strong man knows what the other lacks. The weak can only look up at what they deem to be the strong with envy. And the one they deem to be the strong shows what their real values are.

When theft, adultery, promiscuity, deception, and the like become the standard - then the immoral shall look up to people exemplifying these "qualities". Even as they condemn them - they shall condemn - but it will be only in speaking, for in reality they will secretly envy those people. For their hearts have not yet renounced evil - nor have their minds seen evil as evil - rather they persist in secretly seeing evil as good.

How is this sexist for example?

Quoting Agustino
If someone asks us why shall a good man support Trump - then we shall answer that Trump is the truth of man, and we want our brother to have an honest look at himself. How can we change the world if we refuse to look at our own face, maybe for the first time? Those cowards, some of whom make their presence felt in this thread by protesting against Trump, are pony-hugging liberals in disguise. They hate Trump because they hate themselves - they will refuse to see their own wretchedness reflected in Trump - so they have to get rid of Trump, only to suppress their own selves.

How utterly hilarious to see them crying about Trump slighting the Truth, when their favorite TV shows slight the Truth each and every day, and behold, they keep on watching? Have they just now awakened and opened their eyes onto the world? Have they been fast asleep, so drawn into their petty play not to know the world they're living in? One has to wonder how deep blindness and stupidity can go.

They would all like to be the overmen on Wall Street, only that they lack the strength - they lack the opportunity. If only power were placed in their hands. But being weak, they hide their desire from themselves - so that they may be able to live with themselves. Instead they promote a fake morality - a hypocritical morality - motivated by their ressentiment and hatred of themselves and of the powerful (whom they nevertheless want to emulate). So on the one hand they condemn theft - but on the other they reward the thief by doing business with him. On the one hand they condemn adultery - on the other they enjoy seeing it in their movies. With one hand they take away, and with the other, behind their backs so that their eyes do not see, they give back what was taken!

That is their pity, for they have never actually rejected immorality. They have just deceived themselves, thinking that they have rejected what is immoral. But they haven't. The sad part is that their so called morality is a reaction to immorality, and not authentic and in-itself, and has the same illusory and shadowy constitution that its parent has. That is why when push comes to shove, they shall once again resort to immorality. If their daughter can marry that unrighteous rich man, then they will immediately agree, and at once will have forgotten all their concerns about morality.

How is this sexist?! :s
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:27 #96662
Nobody said those passages are sexist.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:27 #96663
Quoting ?????????????
Can you understand that you can't appeal to doctors when you say that generally you distrust doctors and favour independent reasoning? It's not that hard, is it?

Yes, I generally distrust doctors and favour independent thinking (using your own brain). But what do you need to do to think independently? Don't you need to know medicine?! If you don't know medicine, how will you be able to think independently? It's not that hard is it?!
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:28 #96664
Quoting StreetlightX
Nobody said those passages are sexist.

Oh.

Quoting StreetlightX
A polemic, sexist piece of writing.

So based on 10% or less of that post, you call it a polemic sexist piece of writing, and yet nobody said it was sexist. Great.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 09:28 #96665
Reply to Agustino
No, that's not sexist. Context matters. It is polemic writing, hyperbolic at times, to emphasise a point. If that's sexist, oh dear, I don't want to show you what kind of comments Nietzsche and other great philosophers put out there.


Yes, it's sexist and arguably misogynist. You context didn't help things at all. It was sexist polemic writing, and its hyperbole to emphasize things doesn't change that. And many great philosophers have been very sexist; that doesn't help you.

But keep defending that sexist passage, Augustino. You'll just keep digging a hole you should probably start filling.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:29 #96666
Quoting John Harris
Yes, it's sexist and arguably misogynist.

Care to explain why?
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 09:30 #96667
I already have. Go back and read.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:30 #96668
Quoting John Harris
I already have. Go back and read.

Where?
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:31 #96669
Reply to Agustino I called the polemic, sexist piece of writing a polemic, sexist piece of writing.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:32 #96670
Quoting StreetlightX
I called the polemic, sexist piece of writing a polemic, sexist piece of writing.

:s So then you did call it sexist, and then you said
Quoting StreetlightX
Nobody said those passages are sexist.

Great!
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:32 #96671
Yes, because you left out the polemic, sexist piece of writing with your selective quoting.

You can't honestly be this dense.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:33 #96672
Quoting StreetlightX
Yes, because you left out the polemic, sexist piece of writing with your selective quoting.

You can't honestly be this dense.

Oh, so then the entire posting wasn't a polemic sexist piece of writing right? Now we're getting somewhere.

So don't you have to read the supposed "polemic sexist piece of writing" in the context of the rest of the post, which isn't a polemic sexist piece of writing? :s
Michael August 15, 2017 at 09:35 #96674
Reply to Agustino Parts of it were sexist. Parts of it weren't. Seems reasonable to then claim that the post was sexist.

Just as if I were to say "London is the capital of England and women are inferior to men" then my statement would be sexist, even though my claim that London is the capital of England isn't.
Erik August 15, 2017 at 09:35 #96675
Quoting Agustino
Yes, he would have been right if I made that assertion in a context which leaned itself to be interpreted as a categorical statement. But in the context of the rest of the writing, which is just exaggerated for polemical and rhetorical effect, it cannot be interpreted as anything else but hyperbolic.


Perhaps others have a different opinion, but for me hyperbole tends to significantly lessen an argument's overall effect. Maybe among the general populace it works better than moderation and subtlety, but I'd imagine it's unnecessary and even counter-productive here.

I also vaguely recall the debate form which these quotes were drawn, and remember thinking to myself something along the lines of, "This is unfortunate since I really respected the intelligence and character of this guy."

But anyway, I think you're a great poster overall, and I can appreciate those like you who challenge dominant values and beliefs. JS Mill's On Liberty has always resonated with me a great deal, and I appreciate seeing ideas defeated rather than silenced.

Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:38 #96676
Quoting ?????????????
It's not that hard to realise that saying "they're not doctors" is not a refutation of SX's citations, is it? Especially, if you are someone who favours independent thinking over the title of "doctor". There's no reason to suppose SX's authors didn't get it better than "doctors" or than you.

Do the authors that SX cited work in the field of medical research? My point in replying to SX was not that his citations have no value, but rather that the issue is a lot more controversial than he wants to claim it to be:
Quoting StreetlightX
On the myth that testosterone largely accounts for differences in behaviour

Quoting StreetlightX
it is also fair to allow posts that perpetuate those myths to stand, if only so that others can expose them for the myths that they are

So apparently he thinks these things are definitely myths which need to be exposed and shut down, even though many who engage in medical research have uncovered scientific evidence that there exist biological differences between the sexes. I linked him to several articles that he has ignored. Instead, he will hold tight to his prejudice.
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:39 #96677
Quoting Agustino
So don't you have to read the supposed "polemic sexist piece of writing" in the context of the rest of the post, which isn't a polemic sexist piece of writing?


Doesn't make a difference. But I've reached the limit of your equivocations. You're on notice for what is and is not considered sexist here, whether you like or agree with it.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:40 #96678
Quoting Michael
Parts of it were sexist.

Okay, so let's discuss this from the ground up then. Why do you think that specific part was sexist?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:42 #96679
Reply to Michael Is it because the word "all" was used with regards to the women on TV?
BlueBanana August 15, 2017 at 09:43 #96680
While we are discussing the guidelines, here's a copy of a PM I sent to a moderator (no response yet):



Hi, I have a quick question about the forum guidelines: what exactly counts as a nazi sympathiser?

1) Being a nazi
2) Promoting being a nazi
3) Not having any strong opinions on nazism, including not having anything against it
4) Being against nazism but thinking they have a right to their opinion
5) Being against nazism but thinking they have a right to spread their ideas
6) Being against nazism but thinking they have a right to, well, do anything, including killing people
7) Justifying nazism with cultural relativism

The first two and last two probably count, but especially #2 and #3 are unclear. What about the last one as a provocative thought experiment? #justcurious
-BlueBanana
BlueBanana August 15, 2017 at 09:44 #96681
I meant #3 and #4 in the previous.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:46 #96682
Quoting BlueBanana
Hi, I have a quick question about the forum guidelines: what exactly counts as a nazi sympathiser?

1) Being a nazi
2) Promoting being a nazi
3) Not having any strong opinions on nazism, including not having anything against it
4) Being against nazism but thinking they have a right to their opinion
5) Being against nazism but thinking they have a right to spread their ideas
6) Being against nazism but thinking they have a right to, well, do anything, including killing people
7) Justifying nazism with cultural relativism

The first two and last two probably count, but especially #2 and #3 are unclear. What about the last one as a provocative thought experiment? #justcurious
-BlueBanana

Let me tell you what counts towards being a Nazi. We all remember our friend who was unfairly banned for "being a Nazi", even though he was no Nazi:
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/57934#Post_57934

Apparently if you hold some right-wing views that's sufficient.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:50 #96685
Reply to StreetlightX So, if I claim that there exists a biological difference between men and women and post an article from a medical/scientific journal in support, am I being sexist?
Streetlight August 15, 2017 at 09:56 #96686
If you have to waste my fucking time to ask a question like that, consider just not posting ever to err on the side of caution.
BlueBanana August 15, 2017 at 09:56 #96687
Reply to Agustino ... interesting. We are not allowed to say something is morally more wrong than nazis because then nazism is more acceptable than that?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:56 #96688
Quoting ?????????????
I don't know if they cite medical research. An you don't know either, as it seems.

Well they clearly can't cite the research I've cited, because that would be against their own assessments. Furthermore if they do, it might be only to criticise it, but since the research is reporting facts - biological differences - they'd have to deny them.

Quoting ?????????????
And, if your point was that SX and his citations make the issue seem a lot less controversial than it is, you failed miserably in expressing that, since all you did was to call the citations pseudo-scientific

Some of them are pseudo-scientific since they're not written by scientists with expertise in medicine, neuroscience, and the like.

Quoting ?????????????
but I guess they have value, eh?

As someone's thinking about the issues, yes of course. They'd be an interesting perspective, but if they deny scientific facts, as SLX made it sound, then they're certainly wrong. When it comes to what the facts are, we should listen to researchers who actually work in the domain, not philosophers.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:57 #96690
Quoting StreetlightX
just not posting ever to err on the side of caution.

Ah, so that's your goal. I see.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 09:58 #96692
Quoting BlueBanana
We are not allowed to say something is morally more wrong than nazis because then nazism is more acceptable than that?

It seems so.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 09:58 #96693
Reply to Agustino

The whole premise of the statement and the value by which the polemic functions is sexist. It's outright rape apology, drawn out of the notion a women is their for whatever the rich man wants to do. Any question of what a women thinks or is interested is rejected in favour of assuming a (the problem is merely defined by you saying "all," but any) woman wants some sort of sexual attention just because a man is rich/famous and he wants to harass them.

Even a woman who was attracted to a famous rich man would fall under these concerns. Attraction is not the same as a desire to engage in sexual activity, let alone sexual activity in a public space (or close to a public space) with a famous rich man who you're never going to see again.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:01 #96696
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
The whole premise of the statement and the value by which the polemic functions is sexist. It's outright rape apology, drawn out of the notion a women is their for whatever the rich man wants to do. Any question of what a women thinks or is interested is rejected in favour of assuming a (the problem is merely defined by you saying "all," but any) woman wants some sort of sexual attention just because a man is rich/famous and he wants to harass them.

No, that can't be the case because I think rape, including grabbing women by the pussy and the things Trump advocated are wrong (that's one of the things my post criticised - that the world pretends to hate Trump, but actually voted for him). So how does your interpretation square with this fact? How can I be an apology for rape culture when I claim precisely that neither men nor women should use sex in the manners that they do use it?

Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
Even a woman who was attracted to a famous rich man would fall under these concerns. Attraction is not the same as a desire to engage in sexual activity, let alone sexual activity in a public space (or close to a public space) with a famous rich man who you're never going to see again.

Okay, agreed. So what's your point? :s
Michael August 15, 2017 at 10:04 #96698
Quoting Agustino
that's one of the things my post criticised - that the world pretends to hate Trump, but actually voted for him


The world didn't vote for Trump. 62,979,879 people voted for Trump. And I'm sure a good number of those voted for Trump only because he was a Republican or only because he wasn't Hillary. There is a good amount of genuine hate for Trump.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:06 #96699
Quoting Michael
The world didn't vote for Trump. 62,979,879 people voted for Trump. And I'm sure a good number of those voted for Trump only because he was a Republican or only because he wasn't Hillary. There is a good amount of genuine hate for Trump.

Do you agree that a majority, or at least close to a majority voted for Trump? Again, a polemical writing uses hyperbole to make a point. Do you actually think I meant to say that the world - namely China, India, etc. - voted for Trump? :s How can you interpret that writing so stupidly and literarily?!
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:09 #96701
Quoting ?????????????
Oh, so they're pseudo-scientific the way yours is. lol. Man!

:s "Mine" is just the scientific facts I cited in the articles linked. Those scientific facts weren't recorded or written by me.

Apart from quoting different sentences and calling them crap, you've proved nothing. Even a child can do the same thing. Thanks for admitting you're here just to throw stones.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:11 #96702
Quoting Michael
Just as if I were to say "London is the capital of England and women are inferior to men" then my statement would be sexist, even though my claim that London is the capital of England isn't.

Yes, largely because 50% of that is sexist. If you wrote an entire essay of 5000 words, which contained the sentence "women are inferior to men" in one single random instance which had little to do with the topic of the essay, the essay wouldn't be sexist. That sentence may be sexist, but not the essay.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 10:14 #96703
Quoting Agustino
Do you agree that a majority, or at least close to a majority voted for Trump?


No, a majority didn't vote for Trump. There are 7 billion people in the world, 323 million people in the United States, 231 million eligible voters in the United States, and 129 million actual votes were cast. Trump's 63 million isn't a majority by any measure. And I don't know if 46% of the actual votes cast counts as close to a majority.

Do you actually think I meant to say that the world - namely China, India, etc. - voted for Trump? :s How can you interpret that writing so stupidly and literarily?!


Then who were you referring to when you said "[the world] actually voted for him"? And who were you referring to when you said "the world pretends to hate Trump"? Is this some false equivalency where you're using the term "world" to refer to two different groups of people? In which case your criticism of hypocrisy rests on a very obvious and nonsense equivocation.

The best you can do is claim that anyone who hates Trump but voted for him is a hypocrite. And I'd agree.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:15 #96704
Quoting Bitter Crank
But it is as likely that the moderators will have fairly fuzzy ideas of how sexists, homophobes, and racists write, and will get it wrong -- at least sometimes. (That's not a deficiency on the part of moderators. It's just life.)

Which is another problem especially since most moderators lean on the same side with regards to their personal political and religious views. We should try to have a balanced moderator team, without an overwhelming number leaning towards one side. I've criticised this many times before, and even nominated people I'd think would make great moderators, but alas, they don't seem to be interested in altering the moderator team.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:16 #96705
Quoting Michael
Then who were you referring to when you said "[the world] actually voted for him"? And who were you referring to when you said "the world pretends to hate Trump"? Is this some false equivalency where you're using the term "world" to refer to two different groups of people?

I referred to the same group of people. The majority who voted for him. The polls were wrong because many people were dishonest with the polls, but not dishonest in the voting booth.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 10:18 #96706
Quoting Agustino
I referred to the same group of people. The majority who voted for him. The polls were wrong because many people were dishonest with the polls, but not dishonest in the voting booth.


What? It is a fact that Trump received 46.1% of the votes. That's not a majority.

Furthermore, the vast majority of the people who hate and criticise Trump didn't vote for him, so your accusation of hypocrisy against Trump-haters in general doesn't work.

Again, the best you can say is that anyone who hates Trump but voted for him anyway is a hypocrite. But that number is going to be even less than the 46.1% who voted for him (and he does have genuine supporters, given his current 34% approval rating). Definitely not a majority.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:19 #96707
Quoting Michael
No, a majority didn't vote for Trump. There are 7 billion people in the world, 323 million people in the United States, 231 million eligible voters in the United States, and 129 million actual votes were cast. Trump's 63 million isn't a majority by any measure. And I don't know if 46% of the actual votes cast counts as close to a majority.

Right, so I couldn't be referring to that right? Or do you take it that I'm just very dumb and ignorant and am not aware of the population of the world vs the population of the US?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:19 #96708
Quoting Agustino
Okay, so let's discuss this from the ground up then. Why do you think that specific part was sexist?


Quoting Agustino
Is it because the word "all" was used with regards to the women on TV?

You never addressed those points.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 10:20 #96709
What is the Point with this thread?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:20 #96710
Quoting Beebert
What is the Point with this thread?

To get Agustino under watch and eventually banned ;)
Michael August 15, 2017 at 10:20 #96711
Reply to Agustino You made a disparaging remark about the women on TV on the basis that they're women. That's sexism.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 10:23 #96713
Quoting Agustino
Right, so I couldn't be referring to that right? Or do you take it that I'm just very dumb and ignorant and am not aware of the population of the world vs the population of the US?


So who are you referring to when you say "the world hates Trump"? And who are you referring to when you say "the world voted for Trump"? Because it's pretty obvious that these are two separate groups (with perhaps only a small overlap). Most of his haters didn't vote for him, and I'm sure a lot of his voters don't hate him (or even pretend to hate him).
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 10:24 #96715
Reply to Agustino

Clearly you don't think it's wrong enough to be honest about it.

You would spread the myth that, somehow, being on TV means a woman wants to be harassed or assaulted. You would approve the falsehood that a women on TV who is attracted to a foamier, rich man desires to be harassed and/or assaulted. You would claim opposition to the harassment and assault of women who appear on TV, is somehow inconsistent with those women appearing on TV, as the women on TV "really wanted it."

The polemic itself is based on sexist values. That, somehow, the right of women not to be subjected to harassment and assault, is dependent on their own behaviour, as if "women who appear on tv" were to be justly subjected to some sort of corrective harassment or assault.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:25 #96716
Quoting Michael
You made a disparaging remark about the women on TV on the basis that they're women. That's sexism.

Okay, so let's look at it. Finally we have an explanation that we can discuss intelligently!

Quoting Agustino
The world pretends to hate men like Trump but actually loves them. The women on TV pretend they are disgusted by what Trump does to them. But secretly, they all desire it, and wish they were the ones. In the polls they pretend not to vote for Trump - but when they're alone, with themselves inside the booth, they cast their vote where their hearts are. It is good - they imagine - to pretend to morality but act immorally. We all knew, when we were speaking of morals, that it was merely speaking after all. When we hurt the other - we will retort by "I thought you'd be doing the same" - for we know that what we say is mere politics and nothing more. Indeed, we are surprised by those who expect us to keep our word - that person is really an Idiot for us. Suddenly the mask will go off, and our real face will show.

I think that quite the contrary I made disparaging remarks about women on TV on the basis that they're HYPOCRITES - and I may be wrong that they are (certainly that's what you will claim) - NOT on the basis that they're women.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 10:26 #96717
Quoting Agustino
I think that quite the contrary I made disparaging remarks about women on TV on the basis that they're HYPOCRITES - and I may be wrong that they are (certainly that's what you will claim) - NOT on the basis that they're women.


No, you're accusing them of hypocrisy because you believe that they secretly desire him. But on what grounds do you base this accusation/belief? On the grounds that they're women, and according you women desire men like Trump.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:28 #96718
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
You would spread the myth that, somehow, being on TV means a woman wants to be harassed or assaulted. You would approve the falsehood that a women on TV who is attracted to a foamier, rich man desires to be harassed and/or assaulted. You would claim opposition to the harassment and assault of women who appear on TV, is somehow inconsistent with those women appearing on TV, as the women on TV "really wanted it."

No, that's not at all true. I don't understand how you essentially tie being on TV with hypocrisy. I'm criticising hypocrisy, and giving the example of "the women on TV" to do it. The fact that they are women, and that they are on TV are secondary to the underlying hypocrisy that my post is targetting. Namely that our society wants to abolish sexism on the surface - we criticise Trump on TV and in the polls - but in the voting booth we cast our votes for him.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:31 #96719
Quoting Michael
No, you're accusing them of hypocrisy because you believe that they secretly desire him. But on what grounds do you base this accusation? On the grounds that they're women, and according you women desire men like Trump.

So if Trump was gay, and he grabbed men by the whatever, and I therefore said that men on the TV pretend to hate Trump but actually love him and desire what he'd do to them, would I be a sexist? Or is it only being a sexist when the same is said with regards to women?

No, the accusation that they desire him isn't based on their sex, but rather on their lust combined with their heterosexuality and the values of our society. We encourage people - both men and women - to want to have sexual intercourse with rich and famous people. If Trump was attracted to men, I would've said the same thing about them.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 10:31 #96720
Reply to Michael Probably on the basis that all people want to be at the Centre of attention. I agree that agustino formulated himself and his standpoint in a bit clumsy way, but you all look at this in a too black and white way. The way people act and what they desire isnt either/or in most cases, but BOTH. Agustino can correct me if I am wrong, but I understand his posts as meaning something in that direction. And People should be aware and honest that they most often desire both while pretending to condemn one side and stand on the other.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 10:32 #96721
Reply to Agustino

But that's just the problem-- they're aren't hypocrites. Even if they were attracted to Trump, they could still object to his harassment and assault without any issue. They could even vote for him and they still wouldn't be hypocrites in identifying his sexist behaviour, harassment and assault of women.

For the argument of your polemic to function, you have to equivocate attraction with consent, voting for Trump with identifications of his sexist character, etc. For you polemic to have any force, you literally have to believe a lie, confuse the significance of different actions for each other.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 10:34 #96722
Reply to TheWillowOfDarkness What People most often desire is conflict, problems and something that happpens; action and reaction. The rest is just acting.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:36 #96723
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
Even if they were attracted to Trump, they could still object to his harassment and assault without any issue.

If a woman wants a man to touch her, is that assault if the man touches her? I am condemning their lust in that part - namely that they secretly desire such things - NOT excusing Trump. Trump's behaviour is still immoral - EVEN IF - they actually do want to be touched by him.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 10:36 #96724
Quoting Agustino
So if Trump was gay, and he grabbed men by the whatever, and I therefore said that men on the TV pretend to hate Trump but actually love him and desire what he'd do to them, would I be a sexist?


Depends on why you believe that the men on TV secretly desire it. If it's because they're men, and you believe that men desire this kind of attention from men like Trump, then you're making a disparaging remark about people based on a stereotype of their gender. That's sexism. If, however, your accusation has nothing to do with their gender then no, it wouldn't be.

No, the accusation that they desire him isn't based on their sex, but rather on their lust combined with their heterosexuality and the values of our society.


So you're claiming that heterosexual women are lustful and desire the sexual attention of men like Trump, and so the heterosexual women on TV are hypocrites who secretly desire Trump. That's a disparaging remark about people based on a stereotype of their gender, i.e. sexism.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 10:38 #96725
Reply to Agustino

Even worse, if we do consider people who are hypocrites, that is, who calling we ought to disavowal Trump becasue of his sexism but who then turn around and vote for him, their statements are actually trustworthy with respect to the given moral goal.

If it were true, as the hypocrite stated, that we ought not vote for Trump because of his sexism, then we'd ought to agree with the statement, even if the person ended up being a hypocrite and voted for Trump.

Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:39 #96726
Quoting Michael
So why do you think that the women on TV secretly desire Trump's attention?

I think some of them secretly desire Trump's attention because we are educated, as a society, to draw self-esteem from sex, especially with people in a position of authority/power. That's why people, including women, do sometimes desire that. As you can see, it's a critique of a social value - women on TV in this case are just an example.

Quoting Michael
If it's because they're men, and you believe that men desire this kind of attention from men like Trump, then you're making a disparaging remark about people based on a stereotype of their gender.

Yes, except that it's not their gender which causes them to desire attention from men like Trump, but their values.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 10:39 #96727
Reply to Agustino
Even if they were attracted to Trump, they could still object to his harassment and assault without any issue.
— TheWillowOfDarkness
If a woman wants a man to touch her, is that assault if the man touches her? I am condemning their lust in that part - namely that they secretly desire such things - NOT excusing Trump. Trump's behaviour is still immoral - EVEN IF - they actually do want to be touched by him.


This one may be even worse than the original post.

Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:41 #96728
Quoting John Harris
This one may be even worse than the original post.

Care to explain why? If a woman actually wants to be touched by a man, that isn't assault, by definition it's not assault. Now if the woman doesn't want to be touched, then yes, that would be assault.

And I've stated that Trump's behaviour (touching them) would be immoral even if they wanted to be touched in that post. So how you can possibly claim that's sexist, I have no idea.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 10:42 #96729
Your post explains it all. I warned you about digging your hole deeper. You should have listened.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 10:44 #96731
Reply to Agustino

That's incoherent. If a woman had consented, it would not be assault or harassment, whether it was immoral or not.

This instance cannot be applied to any instance of harassment or assault we might be talking about. If we are talking about an instance of assault or harassment, the morality of a consensual activity isn't at stake.

Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:44 #96733
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
If a woman had consented, it would not be assault or harassment, whether it was immoral or not.

Sure, I agree with this.

Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:49 #96740
How is assault to be defined? Physically forcing someone (in this case a woman). How do you physically force someone if they want the activity in question?! :s Forcing them implies going against their will.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 10:50 #96741
Reply to Agustino

Your argument says otherwise. You're tying the immorality of sexual harassment and assault to that of consensual lust, as if the two were equivalent. The polemic supposed that, if one is to be against the immorality of sexual assault and harassment, then then they must also be against consensual lusts.

The hypocrisy is supposedly defined by someone being against sexual harassment or assault but for consensual lusting, as if being against the former mean you must be against the latter. This is simply not true. One is free to attack the immorality of sexual assault and harassment while also accepting consensual lustings. The former is a different question of value than the latter, no matter how moral or immoral consensual lustings might be.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 10:50 #96742
Reply to Agustino
Even if they were attracted to Trump, they could still object to his harassment and assault without any issue.
— TheWillowOfDarkness
If a woman wants a man to touch her, is that assault if the man touches her? I am condemning their lust in that part - namely that they secretly desire such things - NOT excusing Trump. Trump's behaviour is still immoral - EVEN IF - they actually do want to be touched by him.


No, the "retarded" one is clearly you. In this vile post of yours, you claim that it is not assault to grope a woman if she actually wanted it, which is defending sexual assault. And instead of condemning the assaulting male, you condemn the assaulted woman--pure sexism. And then you continue your vile sexism by asserting the women want to be groped when you have no reason to believe or know that at all.

That is pathetic, and sickening, and you and I are done. I have no more time for your sexist filth.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:53 #96744
Quoting John Harris
In this vile post of yours, you claim that it is not assault to grope a woman if she actually wanted it, which is defending sexual assault.

Well is it assault if you grope a woman who wants you to grope her, maybe even asks you to grope her?! :s

Quoting John Harris
And instead of condemning the assaulting male, you condemn the assaulted woman--pure sexism. And then you continue your vile sexism by asserting the woman want to be groped when you have no reason to believe or know that at all.

Sorry to tell you, but there's no other possible conclusion. IF a woman wants it - then she is not assaulted. IF she is assaulted - then she doesn't want it. You can't have it both ways. Do you understand that?! Now you can say that I am wrong, that the women on TV don't want it, and would therefore be assaulted, sure! But you can't say that I am a sexist.

Also I did condemn the male, in fact I condemned the male EVEN IF the woman in question wants it, since I condemn the lust of the activity first and foremost. The assault itself presupposes lust, so striking at lust is striking at the root of the problem.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 10:58 #96745
Sorry to tell you, but there's no other possible conclusion.


And you just proved you should have addressed this to you...:)
Michael August 15, 2017 at 10:58 #96746
Quoting Agustino
Well is it assault if you grope a woman who wants you to grope her, maybe even asks you to grope her?!


Well, let's consider a hypothetical scenario where a woman wants to be groped but tells you not to grope her. Is consent (or lack thereof) defined according to desire or by words?
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 10:59 #96748
Says the sexist loser...:)
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 10:59 #96750
Quoting Michael
Well, let's consider a hypothetical scenario where a woman wants to be groped but tells you not to grope her. Is consent (or lack thereof) defined according to desire or by words?

Let's consider another hypothetical scenario where a woman doesn't want to be groped but tells you that you can grope her because of social or peer pressure say. Is consent defined by her words or by her desire?
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:00 #96751
Reply to Agustino
Let's consider another hypothetical scenario where a woman doesn't want to be groped but tells you that you can grope her because of social or peer pressure say


That wasn't the scenario. So, you're moving the goalposts just further shows how wrong you were.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:00 #96752
Quoting Michael
Is consent (or lack thereof) defined according to desire or by words?

In practice, by words, since we cannot with great certainty predict her real desires. But theoretically, it is by her desire, not by her words. If she says yes, but physically resists it for example, then it would be assault to grope her.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:01 #96754
Reply to Agustino
Is consent (or lack thereof) defined according to desire or by words?
— Michael
In practice, by words, since we cannot with great certainty predict her real desires. But theoretically, it is by her desire, not by her words. If she says yes, but physically resists it for example, then it would be wrong to grope her.


And the women in your scenario never said yes, so you're moving the goalposts again. You keep showing how wrong you were.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:02 #96755
Quoting John Harris
And the women in your scenario never said yes, so you're moving the goalposts again. You keep showing how wrong you were.

Quoting Agustino
But theoretically, it is by her desire, not by her words.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:02 #96756
Quoting Agustino
That wasn't the scenario. So, you're moving the goalposts just further shows how wrong you were. — John HarrisRetard. Go under your bed and be quiet. I'm talking to more intelligent people than you now, who can understand the point I'm making.


And you keep proving I'm right since you fail to even address my correct argument and fall back on sad childish personal attacks. Now you're sexist and a troll. And I'm talking to a sexist much less intelligent than me.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 11:02 #96757
Reply to Agustino

Her desire. That's why you have to be thinking about others. One cannot just treat words as a permission slip. You have to be considering what another person thinks and wants.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:03 #96758
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
Her desire. That's why you have to be thinking about others. One cannot just treat words as a permission slip. You have to be considering what another person thinks and wants.

I agree :)
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:05 #96759
Reply to Agustino
If a woman wants a man to touch her, is that assault if the man touches her?


But you didn't agree in this previous statement, since you said a woman who wants groping, but doesn't give consent, is not assaulted if groped.

You're not very good at this, sexist. I suggest you go back under that bed you're probably already occupying...:)
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:05 #96761
To all concerned, I am ignoring John Harris from this moment forth.
Baden August 15, 2017 at 11:06 #96762
Quoting Agustino
We all remember our friend who was unfairly banned for "being a Nazi", even though he was no Nazi:
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/57934#Post_57934


As much as it brings joy to my heart to be reminded of those events, we're not here to talk about vacuumbrain or whatever the Nazi sympathizer's name was. Any more off-topic stuff will be deleted.

Reply to BlueBanana

I've been getting a lot of PMs lately so I've had to prioritize. If you want to open a separate discussion, feel free.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:07 #96763
Reply to Agustino
And the women in your scenario never said yes, so you're moving the goalposts again. You keep showing how wrong you were.
— John Harris
But theoretically, it is by her desire, not by her words.
— Agustino


And here again, Agustino blames the woman's desire and says it is enough to merit unsolicited groping.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 11:12 #96764
Reply to John Harris What is it that you want? Seriously. Bitter?
Michael August 15, 2017 at 11:13 #96765
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
One cannot just treat words as a permission slip. You have to be considering what another person thinks and wants.


And what if they say "no"? Can we just treat the words as a rejection, or do we have to consider what they think and want, and plough ahead if we think they secretly desire it?

Is it a case of erring on the side of caution, where "no" means no but "yes" doesn't always mean "yes"?
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 11:13 #96766
Reply to John Harris Or so you just desire to experience the feeling of being right?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:14 #96767
Quoting Michael
And what if they say "no"? Can we just treat the words as a rejection, or do we have to consider what they think and want, and plough ahead if we think they secretly want it?

As I said, in practice you're best off - generally - to listen to the words, especially if they're a no. But this doesn't mean that the words are where consent is coming from.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:14 #96768
Reply to Beebert
?John Harris What is it that you want? Seriously. Bitter?


When you start an engagement with that hostile tone, it's clear the only bitter one is you.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:14 #96769
Reply to Michael Anyway Michael. We started by discussing why you think that sentence from my essay is sexist. Do you think I've done a good job to explain to you how that sentence fits in the rest of the essay which is a critique of our hypocrisy and values?
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:15 #96770
Reply to Beebert
?John Harris Or so you just desire to experience the feeling of being right?


Why are you asking these confrontational questions? Do you have sexist views you feel are being threatened?
Baden August 15, 2017 at 11:16 #96772
Reply to Agustino

You haven't been causing problems lately as far as I know. If you could just acknowledge your past comments have caused offence, and show a bit more restraint in future, we could move on. We don't have many female members here and we're not going to if they feel the environment is not conducive to their presence. Also, the guidelines are the guidelines.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 11:18 #96774
Reply to John Harris Whatever. I understand why agustino(whom I more often than not disagree with) wants to ignore you. Answer the questions. What is your goal, what do you want to achieve with all this?
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:19 #96776
Reply to Agustino
As I said, in practice you're best off - generally - to listen to the words, especially if they're a no. But this doesn't mean that the words are where consent is coming from.


This is a standard defense rapists and sexual assailants use to justify rape or assault of those who havent given verbal consent. Unbelievable.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 11:20 #96777
Reply to John Harris some of agustino's comments can appear as sexist, especially for someone who is easily offended, yes. But how can you sit behind a screen in a place far away from his and make the judgement that he IS a sexist? Isnt that too an offence?
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:20 #96778
Reply to Beebert
?John Harris Whatever. I understand why agustino(whom I more often than not disagree with) wants to ignore you. Answer the questions. What is your goal, what do you want to achieve with all this?


Whatever. I completely understand why I want to ignore you. And I'm starting now.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:20 #96779
Quoting Baden
We don't have many female members here and we're not going to if they feel the environment is not conducive to their presence.

Tiff, TimeLine (not anymore because she sent me a PM saying she's gone to work on a documentary), Mongrel, River and Lone Wolf are just some quick examples which come to mind.

Quoting Baden
If you could just acknowledge your past comments have caused offence, and show a bit more restraint in future, we could move on.

That they have caused offence to some people I can acknowledge (and I apologise to those they have offended), but I believe it's important to discuss whether or not they were sexism. For example the comment in my long post in the Post Truth thread, as I was discussing with Michael here, can hopefully be regarded in the context of the essay, and isn't sexism. The critique wasn't based on a discrimination of their gender, but rather on our social values, which apply to men and to women equally. So please join in the discussion and let's see what you find sexist in it if you do, and let's discuss it. This is important.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:21 #96780
Reply to Beebert
John Harris some of agustino's comments can appear as sexist, especially for someone who is easily offended, yes. But how can you sit behind a screen in a place far away from his and make the judgement that he IS a sexist?


Says someone who is sitting behind a screen and hypocritically judging me. How lame.

Goodbye, Beebee
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 11:23 #96781
Reply to John Harris Judging you? When did I? I asked you what you want to achieve? Do you take that as judging someone?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:23 #96782
Quoting John Harris
This is a standard defense rapists and sexual assailants use to justify rape or assault of those who haven given verbal consent. Unbelievable.

Yes, it is the standard defense rapists and sexual assailants use. But why is it wrong when they use it? Because they're lying about the intentions of the woman. The woman doesn't want to have sexual intercourse with them (exemplified by her words, by her physical resistance, etc.), but they WRONGLY claim she does. For if she truly did want to have sex with them, it would not be assault.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 11:24 #96784
Reply to Agustino
This is a standard defense rapists and sexual assailants use to justify rape or assault of those who haven given verbal consent. Unbelievable.
— John Harris
Yes, it is the standard defense rapists and sexual assailants use. But why is it wrong when they use it?


This guy really can't stop digging his sexist hole. Unbelievable.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:24 #96785
Quoting John Harris
This guy really can't stop digging his sexist hole. Unbelievable.

I think you'll get banned even before I do, to tell you the truth >:O
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 11:25 #96786
Reply to Agustino Agustino, admit that you wrote something that some are offended by, and you do not have to prove a point. When someone Calls you sexist, it says more about him than you if you know you are not. Just take it and leave it is my suggestion.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:30 #96790
Quoting Beebert
Agustino, admit that you wrote something that some are offended by, and you do not have to prove a point.


Quoting Agustino
That they have caused offence to some people I can acknowledge (and I apologise to those they have offended), but I believe it's important to discuss whether or not they were sexism.

I have.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 11:37 #96791
Reply to Agustino Okay... then truth here seems unfortunately relative. If they have an open heart and want to come along rather than just pathetically causing conflicts and problems (which both you and I know people often desire to do), then they should take that apologize and forgive you. And if you then say you are NOT sexist even if your comment could appear that way to some, then they should trust you and leave it there. Now about the relativity of truth : You all misunderstand each other and will not get along. He who first leaves this discussion probably does the first Most true thing. They consider it sexist because of their reaction to what you said and because of their understanding of the world. You dont because you feel that you know that you didnt mean anything sexist and because you have a different world view. Simple as that it seems.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 11:40 #96792
Reply to Agustino And probably they want to stay in conflict until you have submitted to their understanding of things. Which I guess you will not. And probably should not. So be the greater one, apologize if someone was offended and leave the discussion. That is my suggestion.
Buxtebuddha August 15, 2017 at 11:42 #96794
I find it very strange that some here expect Agustino to accept a pretty serious accusation against his character without a fight. And if this "discussion" boils down to people merely having to apologize for offending others, then I think Mongrel ought to apologize to Agustino for claiming that he's a sexist and misogynist when it's not conclusive that he is one and isn't, apparently, the real reason contrition is desired.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:46 #96796
Reply to Beebert Well yes, I think that you are right that some want to use moderation to enforce their will to power, but I just want to have a discussion about sexism here. I think we can all come to a better understanding of what sexism is, and where the guidelines should be set if we have such a discussion. We need to understand what makes a statement sexist. For example, Michael said that it was the fact that my sentence in the Post-Truth essay was based on gender discrimination that made it sexist. But I, hopefully, was able to show how it was based on a critique of values (which apply to both men and women), and not on gender discrimination, and hence it wasn't sexist, according to his criteria. But is that the right criteria? What about objective biological differences between men and women? Would claiming that there are objective biological differences between men and women which lead to other differences be sexism just because it is discriminating based on gender? Or is more required for a statement to be sexism? These are important and interesting questions to address.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 11:51 #96797
Reply to Beebert Even John Harris brings up interesting points. Yes, rapists do claim that their victims aren't "raped" because they actually want it. But why do they try to claim that, and why are they wrong in claiming it? These are things that we're all better off understanding. Otherwise you'll hear a guy say that "if a woman is willing, then it's not rape" and accuse him of defending rapists automatically. While that may not actually be the case, since he'd be pointing out a truth, that for rape to occur, the victim must be unwilling and forced into the act.
Mongrel August 15, 2017 at 12:00 #96801
Quoting Buxtebuddha
I find it very strange that some here expect Agustino to accept a pretty serious accusation against his character without a fight.


I really appreciate that you think it's a serious accusation. I take it seriously. Agustino has made a lot of sexist remarks on this forum and we've gotten in the habit of ignoring it. I realize it can be hard to draw a line, but the suggestion that women want to be assaulted should clearly be recognized as a particularly ugly kind of sexism.

I've never been much of a flagger, but when I'm here I'll start using it to point out offensive comments.

I think most of the men on this forum are not sexist... which is awesome. The sexist ones just tend to be louder.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:00 #96802
Quoting Buxtebuddha
Mongrel ought to apologize to Agustino for claiming that he's a sexist and misogynist

Well actually Mongrel does usually privately apologise, to her credit:

Mongrel:I apologize for accusing you of having Thinker as your sockpuppet. It's clearly not you.


But of course, it's always after she publicly accuses and offends.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:01 #96803
Quoting Mongrel
women want to be assaulted

That's a contradiction in terms, I never asserted women want to be assaulted. If they want to have intercourse, then they can't be assaulted, since assault presupposes they don't want it and are forced to do it.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:04 #96805
Quoting Mongrel
Agustino has made a lot of sexist remarks

That's false. There's so far only ONE accusation of a sexist statement that we haven't yet got around to discussing. The others have been discussed, and hopefully I've shown how they're not sexist. Furthermore, several other members have argued that they're not sexist either. It seems that you will ignore everyone and stick to your false beliefs, as you often do. You are very deluded, about sexism, about America, and about a host of other issues as well.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:07 #96806
Quoting Agustino
I think women (in the modern age, and in the West) are NOT submissive to men.

I think women (in the modern age, and in the West) are NOT submissive to men sexually, nor intellectually.

I think philosophers are generally dominating. Indeed, being dominating is a trait required for success in philosophy.

I think women should be more submissive (as should men by the way) than they currently are - generally speaking. I'm saying this just cause most people are bloody selfish at the moment - which is the opposite of submissive.

I don't think women should be more submissive to men sexually, but neither should they use sex as a way of dominating men, which, unfortunately, I see more and more women doing in the West.

None of these are sexist. Furthermore, you're the kind of crazy who even thought that thread was sexist and was actually started by another account of mine (Thinker) :s - then of course you apologised about it. You seriously have some mental health issues that you need to address. You seem to have a phobia regarding sexism, that you just can't discuss issues regarding the different genders without feeling there's sexism involved. If someone asks if women are more submissive than men, that's sexism to you. You even started another thread back then about it and desperately PMed moderators to delete that thread. Holy moly...

And to put things in perspective I don't think the other women on these forums found that thread sexist at all. One woman (River) even said she likes to be dominated actually. So I absolutely don't think this has to do with "protecting female members" or some such bullshit. I think most people are mature and rational enough to discuss these issues without getting offended or spewing hatred like you tend to do (there's a few others such as SLX who show such an inability).
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 12:09 #96809
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 12:13 #96811
Reply to Agustino Well is the concept "sexism" an objective one to start with? Everyone seems to understand the word differently. People have strange views and react strangely sometimes. For example, I once told a woman that I love Italian Culture, and then she called me a racist... Anyway, the posters here will first have to leave the desire to accuse others if a meaningful discussion is to be achieved.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:16 #96813
Quoting Agustino
Women should be more submissive to men intellectually than they currently are, on average, as men seem to make better decision makers. Why? Because men can be ruthless, aggressive and competitive much more frequently than women, traits which are required for making great decisions in the world. This largely has to do with biological makeup (testosterone).

Now this statement is still under question given Michael's definition of sexism. But we haven't yet got around to discussing it. I'm still trying to see if Baden and Michael are on boat with the Post-Truth comment before we discuss this one, where we'll also discuss whether biological differences between the genders count as sexism, or how sexism should be defined granted that there are such differences as a matter of fact. This will illuminate how such issues must be discussed and addressed in the future.
BlueBanana August 15, 2017 at 12:26 #96818
Quoting Beebert
He who first leaves this discussion probably does the first Most true thing.


More accurately, the one who leaves after admitting the other person isn't wrong.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:28 #96820
Quoting Beebert
For example, I once told a woman that I love Italian Culture, and then she called me a racist...

>:O >:O Yes, there are some people like that. I don't understand why they behave so strangely, and even how they can live in this world like that. It seems they've all internalised the Hollywood modern pop culture to me with its set of stock answers.
Baden August 15, 2017 at 12:30 #96822
If this discussion continues to be mostly about insults and butting heads rather than a sensible debate, it will be locked. A policy statement has been made and everyone should be fairly clear about what is expected by this point.

Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:40 #96831
Quoting Agustino
If they want to have intercourse, then they can't be assaulted, since assault presupposes they don't want it and are forced to do it.

For example, this is a true statement. But Hollywood and our pop culture act disgusted when they hear it. Fake disgust of course. The fact it's true is exactly why rapists try to use it as a defence. Otherwise why would they even try to use it to defend themselves? :s After all no sane rapist would say that women want to be assaulted/raped - that would be a self-contradictory statement as I have just shown.

The point that has to be distinguished is that when a rapist uses it, they LIE about the woman's desire to have intercourse with them. They say she wants it, while actually she clearly didn't want it, as evidenced by her words, her physical resistance and so forth. Now practically speaking the only way we know what others want is through what they say and how they act. So the rapist should have assumed, based on her words and her deeds, that she doesn't want to have sexual intercourse with him. Since her words and her deeds are the only sources of knowledge he has access to with regards to what she actually desires. So he is lying because he's saying the woman wanted it but at the same time denying what the sources of evidence he had available with regards to her actually suggest she desired. So he's affirming she desired sex, contrary to all evidence available. His affirmation can only be based on his imagination - what he wanted reality to be like - and not on what reality actually was like. So that's why what he's doing is disgusting - it's not because he uses that statement.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:40 #96833
Quoting Baden
A policy statement

Where?

Quoting Baden
everyone should be fairly clear about what is expected by this point.

I'm not at all clear about what is expected, and I suppose most other members aren't either. They will speak for themselves though. All I know is no sexism (I knew that before too!). But what is sexism? We haven't discussed that at all. All we've heard is a bunch of people saying my statements weren't sexist, and another bunch saying they were. Great. So what are we to understand from that? And you're telling us that it should be clear what is to be expected...

To establish guidelines we have to come to a common understanding, which we by all means haven't.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 12:44 #96834
Quoting Agustino
They say she wants it, while actually she clearly didn't want it, as evidenced by her words, her physical resistance and so forth. Now practically speaking the only way we know what others want is through what they say and how they act. So the rapist should have assumed, based on her words and her deeds, that she doesn't want to have sexual intercourse with him. Since her words and her deeds are the only sources of knowledge he has access to with regards to what she actually desires. So he is lying because he's saying the woman wanted it but at the same time denying what the sources of evidence he had available with regards to her actually suggest she desired. So he's affirming she desired sex, contrary to all evidence available. His affirmation can only be based on his imagination - what he wanted reality to be like - and not on what reality actually was like. So that's why what he's doing is disgusting - it's not because he uses that statement.


And how is that any different to what you were saying about the women on TV?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:45 #96835
Quoting Michael
And how is that any different to what you were saying about the women on TV?

Because I was discussing a hypothetical scenario where what I said about them held true (and therefore there would be no assault involved). The rapist isn't discussing a hypothetical scenario, he's actually carrying it out. That's the difference between practice and theory. As I told you before, in theory it's their desire which determines whether there is consent or not. In practice, it's their words and behaviour, since we cannot determine their desire except through those means.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 12:47 #96836
Quoting Agustino
Because I was discussing a hypothetical scenario where what I said about them held true (and therefore there would be no assault involved). The rapist isn't discussing a hypothetical scenario, he's actually carrying it out.


I'm not talking about the actual act of having sex. I'm talking about his defence. You're condemning his claim that the women wanted it, despite their actual words, whilst at the same time claiming that the women on TV want Trump, despite their actual words.

He's lying (or mistaken) about what women secretly want but you're not?
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 12:47 #96837
Reply to Michael

Pretty much. I mean there are certain role playing situations where one might define exceptions, but short of that one has to treat a "No" as genuine.

Would you ever be comfortable continuing were your partner to suddenly interject "No?" No-one can honestly just continue and claim to be concerned about another's well-being. If we are thinking of others, a sudden "no" prompts clarification if something is wrong.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 12:49 #96838
Reply to Agustino
And how is that any different to what you were saying about the women on TV?
— Michael
Because I was discussing a hypothetical scenario where what I said about them held true (and therefore there would be no assault involved).


?Agustino
The women on TV pretend they are disgusted by what Trump does to them. But secretly, they all desire it, and wish they were the ones. In the polls they pretend not to vote for Trump - but when they're alone, with themselves inside the booth, they cast their vote where their hearts are. It is good - they imagine - to pretend to morality but act immorally.


This isn't a "hypothetical" at all. Agustino is now resorting to lying about his sexist post
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:50 #96839
Quoting Michael
You're condemning his claim that the women wanted it, despite their actual words, whilst at the same time claiming that the women on TV want Trump, despite their actual words.

Yes, which is entirely possible. We're discussing theoretically, not practically. If you asked me whether Trump would assault them if he grabbed them by the pussy while they said they don't want to be grabbed, I would say of course he'd be assaulting them! Because that's a practical situation.

In the theoretical situation, where we talk about their desire independently from their words - because they could afterall say they don't want it, while in truth they do - people often do that - then the discussion doesn't occur on the practical level.
S August 15, 2017 at 12:51 #96841
Quoting Baden
I agree that's sexist. Any dissenting opinions?


Not from me. That's sexist.

Quoting Baden
I agree that's sexist (towards the end at least). Any dissenting opinions?


Again, not from me. That last paragraph is sexist, and it reminds me of that tripe from that former Google employee that has recently made the news.

Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:51 #96842
Reply to Michael And by the way, I've illustrated before how my discussion was a critique of values & hypocrisy, and had nothing to do with gender. You still haven't addressed that. So I want to know. Do you now understand and agree with me? Or no? And if so why?
Michael August 15, 2017 at 12:51 #96843
Quoting Agustino
Yes, which is entirely possible. We're discussing theoretically, not practically. If you asked me whether Trump would assault them if he grabbed them by the pussy while they said they don't want to be grabbed, I would say of course he'd be assaulting them! Because that's a practical situation.

In the theoretical situation, where we talk about their desire independently from their words - because they could afterall say they don't want it, while in truth they do - people often do that - then the discussion doesn't occur on the practical level.


So in theory Trump isn't a rapist but in practice he is?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:52 #96844
Quoting Michael
So in theory Trump isn't a rapists but in practice he is?

IF the women on TV want to have sex with him while saying they don't, he's not a rapist. If he actually tries to have sex with a woman on TV who tells him she doesn't want to, then yes, he would be one.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:53 #96845
Quoting Agustino
And by the way, I've illustrated before how my discussion was a critique of values & hypocrisy, and had nothing to do with gender. You still haven't addressed that. So I want to know. Do you now understand and agree with me? Or no? And if so why?

Now answer this Michael.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 12:54 #96846
Quoting Baden
A policy statement has been made and everyone should be fairly clear about what is expected by this point.


You asked for opinions on whether certain of Agustino's comments were sexist and got mixed replies. The policy statement is not in question, but whether you are an adequate judge of what constitutes sexism. My hope would be that you let the person accused appeal their case, as Agustino has done in this thread, before removing posts.

As much as you are loathe to talk about our dear old friend Emptyheady, he is precisely the reason why I and others are suspicious of moderation here, especially when it comes to political and social issues. Mongrel told BC to go fuck himself earlier in the thread, apparently in jest. That post is still up. If Agustino told someone to do the same, would you also leave it alone? Judging by the discussion in this thread, it seems that a lot of people refuse Agustino the ability to make similarly "hyperbolic" statements. Instead, they read the worst possible motive into his posts. I have found that if you press Agustino on statements you find prima facie absurd or offensive, using the same hyperbolic method he employs, he will eventually acknowledge your criticism and revise his statements so that you understand what he's trying to say.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 12:54 #96847
Reply to Agustino Hard to say. Either you're both a misogynist and a misandrist or you're a misanthrope. Or does this amount to the same thing?
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 12:58 #96848
Quoting Michael
Hard to say. Either you're both a misogynist and a misandrist or you're a misanthrope. Or does this amount to the same thing?

Why is it hard to say? It's a relatively simple matter. You said that it's sexist because it's based on gender discrimination - namely that they secretly want to have sex with Trump because they're women. I showed you that it's not based on sexual discrimination - they could be men (if Trump was gay) in the same way. Rather it's based on their lust and values - which are used as an example of our society's hypocritical values that I'm aiming to criticise. You then stopped commenting and replying to those posts. Why?
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 13:01 #96850
Reply to Agustino

Yeah... that's pretty much the sexism people have been hitting you for. Under that "theory", all women are equated as wanting their assualt or harassment, are projected as "untrustworthy" in any instance where they've been reportedly harassed or assaulted.

It's rape apology because it is a "a theory" which imagines a world that replaces the actual "practical" one in which people live. The use of such "theory" is to literally imagine a world in which unsolicited sexual attention or action doesn't violate consent and amount to harassment or assualt.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 13:03 #96851
Reply to Michael "Either you're both a misogynist and a misandrist or you're a misanthrope"

Ressentiment! Ressentiment! Stop this.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:05 #96853
Quoting Michael
He's lying (or mistaken) about what women secretly want but you're not?

Well he has to make a practical judgement about what the women want in a situation where he's actually confronted by a woman saying no, and even physically resisting him, etc.

I don't, I'm making a theoretical judgement about their values based on what they say, and how I suppose they'd actually act if given the chance to act. And for some of the women on TV I'd be right. On camera they'd say they hate Trump, while behind closed doors, they'd be partying with him (or having sex with him or whatever).

Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
Yeah... that's pretty much the sexism people have been hitting you for. Under that "theory", all women are equated as wanting their assualt or harassment, are projected as "untrustworthy" in any instance where they've been reportedly harassed or assaulted.

It's rape apology because it is a "a theory" which imagines a world that replaces the actual "practical" one in which people live. The use of such "theory" is to literally imagine a world in which unsolicited sexual attention or action doesn't violate consent and amount to harassment or assualt.

No, I haven't replaced reality with my theory at all.
Michael August 15, 2017 at 13:06 #96855
Quoting Agustino
Why is it hard to say?


Because I don't know if making disparaging remarks about both men and women in general counts as sexism against both sexes or if it counts as misanthropy.

Quoting Agustino
You said that it's sexist because it's based on gender discrimination - namely that they secretly want to have sex with Trump because they're women. I showed you that it's not based on sexual discrimination - they could be men (if Trump was gay) in the same way.


I don't think I said anything about discrimination. I said that if you make a disparaging remark about someone based on a gender stereotype then you're being sexist. The ambiguity is in interpreting a claim like "people secretly want to have sex with people like Trump". Does it count as both a stereotype of (gay) men and a stereotype of (straight) women or just a stereotype of men-liking people?

You then stopped commenting and replying to those posts. Why?


I'm at work and so shouldn't be posting at all. :-*
ArguingWAristotleTiff August 15, 2017 at 13:07 #96856
Quoting Mongrel
I guess nobody cares that I was making about point about the effect of apathy when I brought this up (in another thread).


Mongrel, I genuinely care when someone speaks with their heart and I will listen with mine. I am only on page 2 of 13 on this thread but I can tell you that I appreciate anytime you bring up personal experiences of you life lessons because there is often something I can relate to. While I realize that as gender we are in the extreme minority on any philosophy forum, I find it incredibly valuable to have the perspective and expression of another woman. I can count on two hands the female "thinkers" that I have known over decade and I am almost always sorry when they pull back.

My fellow thinkers, all we have is each other to learn from since none of us came with an instruction manual and hard as we may try and as empathetic as we may allow ourselves to be, it is impossible to experience the same life events as the thinker next to us. It is for that reason that some words should be measured before used, some thoughts might be better left unsaid and genuine apologies should never be considered a loss in a battle of ideas.

Just my two cents, that no one asked for. So if I can get my change, I will be on my way.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:09 #96857
Quoting Michael
Because I don't know if making disparaging remarks about both men and women in general counts as sexism against both sexes or if it counts as misanthropy.

By your own terms it would count as sexism if it's based on their gender. And presumably it would count as misanthropy if it's based on their humanity. I'd say it's neither. It's based on their values.

Quoting Michael
I don't think I said anything about discrimination. I said that if you make a disparaging remark about someone based on a gender stereotype then you're being sexist.

But it wasn't based on gender stereotype. It was based on our social values, which as I've said encourage self-esteem associated with sexual intercourse, especially if that sexual intercourse is done with people "high" on the social ladder. All this while also discouraging publicly admitting to such things as immoral, etc. Hence the hypocrisy.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 13:11 #96859
Perhaps Kierkegaard's definition of ressentiment is the most fitting here. Most feminists stand for ressentiment values. And are thus not feminists, but typical people who says "I have rights!" without caring about their responsibilities. Who knows it? According to Kierkegaard, ressentiment occurs in a "reflective, passionless age", in which the populace stifles creativity and passion in passionate individuals. Kierkegaard argues that individuals who do not conform to the masses are made scapegoats and objects of ridicule by the masses, in order to maintain status quo and to instill into the masses their own sense of superiority...
ArguingWAristotleTiff August 15, 2017 at 13:14 #96860
Quoting Thorongil
HR people are not to be charmed but laughed at and shunned.


~raising an eyebrow
Could you please explain why HR people are to be laughed at and shunned?
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 13:15 #96861
Reply to Agustino

But that's the only way the argument works. It needs people to function by this theory. That, somehow, they world is full of women who want unsolicited sexual attention and groping, such that they would be lying when the came out and said: "I was harassed and/assaulted."

Your argument doesn't function unless this particular theory is true of people in the world. We can't take that theory as true without repeating the rapist's fantasy that their victims actually wanted it. In practice, it's just repeating the idea women just want whatever attention a man gives them, especially if they only say "no" and don't get into a big fight when he doesn't stop.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:17 #96865
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
But that's the only way the argument works.

The argument isn't about any actual act of sex, but rather about the values of the people. It's not even about the fact they're women. That is only relevant because Trump is heterosexual. If he was gay, I would've used men in the example. The example illustrates what they say on TV vs how they behave, act, think and speak behind closed doors.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:19 #96867
Reply to TheWillowOfDarkness In other words, it's about the hypocrisy of public vs. private life. In public wanting to appear one way, while in private doing something different (presumably what they truly want).
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:21 #96869
Quoting Beebert
According to Kierkegaard, ressentiment occurs in a "reflective, passionless age", in which the populace stifles creativity and passion in passionate individuals. Kierkegaard argues that individuals who do not conform to the masses are made scapegoats and objects of ridicule by the masses, in order to maintain status quo and to instill into the masses their own sense of superiority...

I think the deeper problem is that such passionate individuals often make others look at themselves honestly for the first time.

I mean, the reason why Mongrel is upset isn't because I'm a sexist, but rather because she fears her society is sexist. Which is true - it is sexist! So she wants to shut me up, only because she wants to avoid the truth - she thinks that if she silences someone pointing to the truth and removing our hypocritical façade, then she'll no longer have to face it.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:28 #96872
Think about it. Why do you think she randomly PMs me that sexism is wacko in the US? Because she's scared! She doesn't even want to admit that what Trump said about grabbing women, etc. is sexist. She doesn't want to admit that Trump is only an exemplar of the culture that is everyday promoted in the US! Afterall, aren't men told every day through their movies, through their media, etc. that their greatness comes from how many women they can bed?! Why else do men joke and talk all the time about sex, and how many women they've had sex with, etc.? Why is it that we discuss the affairs of Brad Pitt or whoever else, and salivate after them with admiration?

What else, but a Trump, can you expect to emerge out of this?! Trump is a national hero - he's what every man aspires to be (hopefully people do read this hyperbolically and don't really think I think EVERY man wants to be like Trump). And this is a criticism, not a praise of our culture. Our culture is so terrible and rotten morally speaking that it produces sexism! It is the cause of sexism.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 13:29 #96874
Reply to Agustino

What relevance can it have then?

We are talking about actions, about the way people act towards women and how these actions relate to the valuing of women-- namely that the sort of argument you made equivocates women as the things for male sexual authority, such that harassment and rape are considered myths because women "always want it."

You are replacing the question of action, that is assault and harassment in the world, with your "theory and value", as if that could represent the actual world we are speaking about. The way the argument works is to imagine the women you are speaking about are only values, which must fit this "theory", rather recognising they are people in the actual world.

You think you can talk about this issue while ignoring the actual world in which women are assaulted and harassed. That's sexism. You replace living women with your imagined theory of values.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:32 #96875
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
What relevance can it have then?

The argument isn't about women, sexism and harrassment though. It's about public vs private life of the women on TV. Read this again:

Quoting Agustino
The argument isn't about any actual act of sex, but rather about the values of the people. It's not even about the fact they're women. That is only relevant because Trump is heterosexual. If he was gay, I would've used men in the example. The example illustrates what they say on TV vs how they behave, act, think and speak behind closed doors.

What is the TV? The TV is a metaphor for public life. And what are their secret desires? That's how they act in private life. So in public - on camera, on TV - they say "No, we hate Trump!". And in private, they call Trump and say "Mr. Trump, we want to spend time with you!".
ArguingWAristotleTiff August 15, 2017 at 13:33 #96876
Quoting Agustino
Think about it. Why do you think she randomly PMs me that sexism is wacko in the US? Because she's scared!


Agustino, please put the shovel down with the personal assessments of others thoughts.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 13:37 #96878
Reply to Agustino

I know that, but the argument supposedly reflects what women want, such that they would be hypocrites for taking issue with harassment and assualt in public life. You can't make that connection without repeating the myth women want to be assaulted and harassed.

If no woman wants what you say, your hypocrisy argument doesn't run. The women in question would just be arguing against others who are responsible for assualt and harassment.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:39 #96879
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
I know that, but the argument supposedly reflects what women want, such that they would be hypocrites for taking issue with harassment and assualt in public life.

No, the argument neither suggests this, nor affirms this. First of all, the similarity wouldn't hold precisely because they do take issue with regards to assault in public and in private equally much. Their secret desire isn't to be assaulted.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 13:41 #96881
Here in my country, we start to Believe that America is the greatest threat and problem in the world... How can americans, who belong to the most powerful country in the world, be so stupid and unintelligent as to vote for a maniac like Trump? Let us perhaps have a discussion about whether or not democracy is something to praise? Why not instead discuss whether or not ignorant egoists should be aloud to vote?
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 13:42 #96882
Reply to Agustino
...in which case they wouldn't be hypocrites at all and your theory only has application in your wild imaginings.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 13:42 #96883
Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff
Could you please explain why HR people are to be laughed at and shunned?


Because they're in the business of brainwashing.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:43 #96884
Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
...in which case they wouldn't be hypocrites at all and your theory only has application in your wild imaginings.

:s

Again. The argument is that they hate Trump in public, but love him in private. Is that hypocritical? Yes. There's NOTHING - ZERO - about any kind of assault here.
ArguingWAristotleTiff August 15, 2017 at 13:44 #96886
Quoting Thorongil
Because they're in the business of brainwashing.


I am going to walk away believing you mean that in jest.
S August 15, 2017 at 13:44 #96887
Quoting Thorongil
Mongrel told BC to go fuck himself earlier in the thread, apparently in jest. That post is still up. If Agustino told someone to do the same, would you also leave it alone?


@Mongrel

I only recently began reading this discussion, and when I noticed that comment, I raised the issue in the moderator forum. If it was in jest, then that wasn't clear to me. I took it to be flaming, and I have since deleted that part of the comment. Flaming is against the guidelines and will not be tolerated.
TheWillowOfDarkness August 15, 2017 at 13:48 #96889
Reply to Agustino

Then why are you making arguments like it is? What relevance does whether some women on TV denounces Trump's sexism, but still likes him, have to the question of harassment and assualt? Why you would suggest these women wanted to be subjected to actions as performed by Trump in his instances of harassment and assualt?
BlueBanana August 15, 2017 at 13:51 #96890
Reply to John Harris as always you aren't even trying to understand the other side.
Agustino August 15, 2017 at 13:52 #96892
Quoting Agustino
The world pretends to hate men like Trump but actually loves them. The women on TV pretend they are disgusted by what Trump does to them. But secretly, they all desire it, and wish they were the ones. In the polls they pretend not to vote for Trump - but when they're alone, with themselves inside the booth, they cast their vote where their hearts are. It is good - they imagine - to pretend to morality but act immorally. We all knew, when we were speaking of morals, that it was merely speaking after all. When we hurt the other - we will retort by "I thought you'd be doing the same" - for we know that what we say is mere politics and nothing more. Indeed, we are surprised by those who expect us to keep our word - that person is really an Idiot for us. Suddenly the mask will go off, and our real face will show.

Quoting TheWillowOfDarkness
Then why are you making arguments like it is? What relevance does whether some women on TV denounces Trump's sexism, but still likes him, have to the question of harassment and assualt? Why you would suggest these women wanted to be subjected to Trump's behaviour, as in these instances where he harassed and assaulted women.

Read the paragraph again. What is the first sentence? The world pretends to hate men like Trump but actually loves them.

The second sentence is an example of this. The women - ON TV - pretend to be disgusted at Trump (based on what he does to women). But secretly, they all desire it. In the polls they pretend not to vote for Trump - but when they're alone in the booth, they place their vote on him. Etc. All of them are contrasts of public vs private life. So no, there's no question of adopting the rapist theory or whatever of that sort.

The salient point of course is that these women in the example don't claim in private that they don't want to have sex with Trump. They only claim that in public, on TV, not behind closed doors.
Thorongil August 15, 2017 at 13:53 #96893
Quoting ArguingWAristotleTiff
I am going to walk away believing you mean that in jest.


Believe what you like.
John Harris August 15, 2017 at 13:57 #96894
Reply to BlueBanana No ,that's You since you just came in to troll me. You're ignored for the thread.
BlueBanana August 15, 2017 at 13:59 #96895
0 thru 9 August 15, 2017 at 14:16 #96903
In matters that might be labeled "sexist", I would propose that the tone, manner, and attitude have as much as an effect- if not more- than any particular statements of potentially questionable nature. Of course in debate, objecting to an argument because of "tone" is an ad hominem fallacy. But matters like this seem to be beyond that particular debate definition. If someone has a very macho and brash style of writing or speaking, fairly or not, it could possibly strike some people as a sexist or chauvinist attitude, irregardless of any definite sexist statements. No one likes the "tone police", but tone will have an effect on the message written, and may color it very strongly.

In general (not picking on any particular person here): bossiness, argumentiveness, name-calling and labeling, swearing, nay-saying, pedantic comments, lecturing, going off-topic, self-righteousness, demanding others answer one's questions, etc. are "alpha male" type traits that wear out one's welcome. If the conversation were in person, things like shouting and being physically intimidating would fit this pattern. It absolutely doesn't NOT matter what the gender is of the person committing these errors. A woman could commit these behaviors just the same as men. Thankfully, no one person embodies all of these extreme, pushy, over-ripe qualities. I know i have erred similarly in my life, though I try to avoid that on this forum. But anyone is apt to be mistaken in judgment or in knowledge from time to time.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 14:16 #96904
Reply to Agustino "The world pretends to hate men like Trump but actually loves them."

If someone here doesnt AT LEAST understand that there is some truth in this statement, I am beginning to be worried.
Buxtebuddha August 15, 2017 at 14:18 #96905
Reply to Beebert Better be worried then, Beebs.
Beebert August 15, 2017 at 14:21 #96907
Trump threatens Kim Jong-Un... Something might happen, it is all very exciting. There is no doubt that the majority feels this way. They perhaps dont want the war, but the prattle and babble before (That actually helps leading to catastrophy) almost all want... Who doesnt want to feel important in their "opinions"? Let us not deny it. People are complicated. They dont just want to evolve, have peace etc. They also want destruction.