WHy is it good to NOT CARE what others think?

[Rosalind]

So Dave, how does one pick and choose which disease, which behavior, which bad outcome is the result of

a. Bad personal choices

b. Cultural values that we also deem worthy even though they cost us $$ and lives

c. Bad luck

Off the top of my head, I can think of an awful lot of things that we taxpayers pay big bucks for, but which we could never untangle a true cause. Is the guy having a heart attack in the ER because he ate bacon double cheeseburgers every day for 20 years? Is he too poor to pay for medical care because he sent his bank account to a televangelist? Does he have bad genes that make him extra-susceptible to heart attacks? Quick, you've got three minutes to decide whether or not he deserves a defibrillator!

What's the point of living in a society at all, if we can't support each other because misfortunes aren't your problem? Those less fortunate can also easily point to some of (y)our actions (voting for politicians who do covert ops to overthrow their democratically-elected governments, shipping their jobs to China, supporting corporate agribusiness that is running their family farm out of business, gov't agents bombing their crops in search of the boogeyman-du-jour) as the source of their misfortunes--don't we therefore owe them something in the way of remediation?

Hey, if some kid wants to go about in his birthday suit, god bless 'im. He doesn't have a right to a job until he puts some clothes on, though, and he can find out the hard way what it's like to have a sunburn on your unmentionables. I've got too much to do around here and too many things to worry about (world peace, curing cancer, etc.) than what the young people are doing these days.

 

[SewingDiva]

Quote:
You are 100% right Dave; it *is* a duty. And the opposite of this is the the legal definition of "negligence" - that is, when we fail in our obligation of due care to others - we are negligent.

And if we are being truly honest, every single person on this thread has been guilty of negligence at some point in their lives. We are all in this together, all of us, everyone on this planet.

~Phyllis

 

[dacjohns]

A topic where people have to actually think and convey those thought is a coherent manner. What is this world coming to?

My mind is going in so many different directions related to the original post and with some of the responses.


Quote:
Our society has norms and mores that members are expected to follow. Failure to adhere to these has consequences.

I do not see flaunting one's so called freedom of expression or freedom to do what one wants in spite of society as admirable. I see it as very disrespectful and thinking that you are above the rules, written and unwritten.

I am not really expressing myself very well right now but the bottom line is that there are rules you have to follow to function in your society or culture. If you disregard those rules you have to suffer the consequences. Failure of the society to follow the rules can result in the collapse of that society.

 

[kinnip]

There's a lot to read here, so this may have been said. Dave, why are you so jealous of Madonna? Is it perhaps because she's a very successful individual who, much like other successful individuals, didn't feel the need to deny that individuality to get there? I don't think anything Madonna has done is the equivalent of giving the world the bird, in fact, much of the world buys her albums. Frankly, I think she's a great role model. Sure she sells sex, who doesn't? She's also a CEO and a very sharp business woman with a reputation for getting things done. She donates untold sums of money to important causes, like easing some suffering in Darfur. She did drag herself off the mean streets-- to become something better.

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
Perhaps she is trying to atone for past actions. Maybe a tax break. Maybe publicity.

Maybe she really is doing something good for the right reason. It still doesn't make her a good role model when you take into account what Madonna was during the 1980s and 1990s.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Its not about Madonna, as Ive said repeatedly. This is far greater than any flash in the pan celebrity such as her.


It is about our willingmess to minimize behavior that ultimately leads to a downward turn and call it good.
But hey, thats just me.

 

[sundance]

I usually go my own way, as long as it hurts no person or animal. But If I think I have said something to hurt some ones feelings I will apologize. I sorta go with the saying " what kind of world would this world be, if EVERYONE was just like me" Guess thats why everyone is an unique person, some people you just naturally like and some its better to stay far and away from them marrie

 

[Reinbeau]

Quote:
Its not about Madonna, as Ive said repeatedly. This is far greater than any flash in the pan celebrity such as her.


It is about our willingmess to minimize behavior that ultimately leads to a downward turn and call it good.
But hey, thats just me.

Well, now, that's a whole different kettle of fish. Minimize bad behavior? No, that's never a good thing. Minimize agonizing over others' personal quirks? There's the difference. No one here is advocating minimizing immorality, or socially abhorrent behavior, I myself am very conservative about, say, sexuality, only in that you can go ahead and date (can't say the word I want to use here) turtles for all I care, just don't be in my face about it - and I mean that for heterosexuality, too. The overt sexualization of our children drives me crazy, but I'm told I'm a prude because I think that way. Is that an example of what you mean? Define your point a bit finer, please

 

[rooster-red]

As long as I'm not hurting anyone, and I'm comfortable morally in what I'm doing, Why do I need anyone elses apporval?

Why would I need to be that emotionally co-dependant on other people?

I don't care what others think of me as long as I'm being the best person I can be.

I am who I am, and others approval or disapproval won't change that, thats not being disrespectful, its being truthful.

 

[asher]

*shrug* If I cared much what people thought of me, I'd never do anything I wanted (b/c someone will disagree with something, every time!) and would never leave the house lest I make someone upset (b/c I'm too fat, too talkative, too shy, too pierced, too many kids, too playful...too SOMETHING, I am sure!

).

I get what you're saying in your original post, but I think going out of your way to be a "rebel" is, in effect, caring just as much what people think of you, as not doing anything you want just b/c of what people would think about you. I do different things (see: Piercings) because I like them, not because I want to be different OR because someone wants me to.

Posting quick before I second guess if it makes sense and delete the whole thing. ;-)