Re: virus: Altruism, Empathy, the Superorganism, and the Prisoner's Dillema

Martz (martz@martz.demon.co.uk)
Sun, 20 Apr 1997 09:33:58 +0100


On Sat, 19 Apr 1997, Reed Konsler <konsler@ascat.harvard.edu> wrote:

>>>I believe any thinking person acknowledges the idea of pure communism as
>>>the most attractive, most altruistc, and most desireable system from an
>>>intellectual perspective.
>>
>>Sorry. Most altruistic? Maybe. Attractive? Desirable? Not to me it ain't
>>and I like to think of myself as a thinking person. See the
>>'Sociological change' thread for a fuller discussion.
>
>Too strong on my part. Perhaps I shouldn't have used the word "communism".
>I'm speaking more of "flower power","lets all be on one mind
>and soul" sort of bright shiny commune-ism. Not the grey, drab kind I think
>I was evoking with the word.

Sorry, but I still don't find that the most attractive or desirable
system.

>>You have departed so far from any accepted definition of altruism that
>>I've ever come across (they all include selflessness) that I can't help
>>wondering if you're using the right word. Are you sure you're not just
>>trying to lever the word into an inappropriate use?
>
>Absolutely! What a great analysis. I don't know if this is a morally
>appropriate thing to do. What do you think?

Morally? If it feels good, do it. ;) Expect to be misunderstood though.

-- 
Martz
martz@martz.demon.co.uk

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