Re "Sometimes nice gets in the way of getting to the bottom of philosophical differences.":
That's true - though ironically some of the most vicious (and polished) put-downs can be found in books by famous philosophers! But I take your point that social niceties can get in the way of engaging in meaningful debate. People can be too polite - in which case no serious engagement with the issues takes place. (And, in the alternative case, other people can get defensive/aggressive, retreat behind the walls of an entrenched position and not listen to what their "opponent" is saying. In either case it's wasted breath for everyone concerned.) Like you, I think that in the "thought experiment" situation I concocted most everyone would get along just fine and have a good laugh about their past squabbles. It would clear the air and FFL would be sweetness and light for the following weeks - before the lack of real human contact would bring back the cold sneering! Maybe FFL should have regular Skype-type conference calls to re-calibrate FFL members back to "fully functioning human" level . . . ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <curtisdeltablues@...> wrote : Excellent mind exercise. Judging by how I enjoyed hanging out with movement people with whom I have little philosophically in common at George's lecture, I'd say jocularity would prevail. I like most people, especially people who see the wold differently from me. I always prefer rapport over confrontation. But online we get a chance to interact in a away with less social buffers and that is a valuable intellectual resource IMO. Sometimes nice gets in the way of getting to the bottom of philosophical differences. There is such a different agenda when I am with someone personally. And most people hide what they really believe because our society doesn't teach how to disagree politely for the sake of intellectual interest. People are so identified with their ideas if they don't practice how to have a philosophical conversation. I don't believe that everyone would be able to hang comfortably, but I'll bet most would. I can think of some who would storm off in a huff at the first sign of disagreement, since they even have trouble being civil in print. Some people who post are definitely high maintenance people. But people surprise me all the time so I shouldn't try to predict that. Cool thought. ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <s3raphita@...> wrote : If the regular posters on FFL were to fortuitously meet at a social gathering - and the conversation was to gravitate towards "spiritual" topics and meditation - and it gradually dawned on everyone that the strangers they were face to face with were the very people they had been having heated arguments with on the FFL site and exchanging gratuitous insults with . . . well, you get the picture . . . Do you think everyone would simply relax, let their hair down, exchange humorous stories, find themselves getting on in a perfectly civilized manner, and end up as new bosom buddies? Or do you think it would end up in a bar-room fight?
