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 Advice in Ethical Thinking July 28, 2006 4:31 AM

The Commonest Fallacy


Of all the fallacies the commonest seems to be this one, that the opposite of error is bound to be true; or that the opposite of evil is bound to be good.

When you are so sure that someone else is wrong, you take it for granted that the attitudes you adopt in resisting or attacking him/her are automatically right.

Nothing causes more trouble in human relationships than this. For, so far from being necessarily, it is not even usually true. In most cases the opposite of an error is the opposite error, and the opposite of a wrong the opposite of a wrong is the opposite wrong - because, in most cases, people react without careful thought; and they assert the false or half-true thing, and the unjust or half right thing, which most closely expresses their own vested interest or emotional bias.

For instance, to the abuse of authority the common reaction is lawless rejection of authority; to religious fanaticism, emotional unbelief; to prudery, promiscuity; and vice versa; and, generally speaking, to one extreme, another extreme.

This explains why emotionally immature individuals in a close relationship generate complementary maladjustments in each other; also, why a social disorder tends naturally, not to correct itself, but produce a reaction which is equally bad.

The genuine solution - that is to say, the happy mean or the constructive alternative - is on another plane entirely from the opposing extremes. To reach it, the secret is not to react, but thoughtfully and lovingly to act; and never merely to oppose an evil, but to rival it - that is a far better way which is wholesome for all concerned.


[ extract: from the GROW book - "The Program of Growth to Maturity"  (The Blue Book)  page 51-52]

Freediver and Che maybe you could RED PIN this ?
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OOOoops - Typo ! In paragraph three, should say July 28, 2006 4:54 AM

"and the opposite of a wrong is the opposite wrong"

sorry i added an extra "opposite of a wrong" by mistake, when typing   [ send green star]  [ accepted]
 
 July 28, 2006 5:03 AM

I particularly like this part:

The genuine solution - that is to say, the happy mean or the constructive alternative - is on another plane entirely from the opposing extremes. To reach it, the secret is not to react, but thoughtfully and lovingly to act; and never merely to oppose an evil, but to rival it - that is a far better way which is wholesome for all concerned.

If only!

The problem I have is in the many and varied definitions of "good" and "evil."

That's a great big giant economy sized can o' worms, innit?

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Myke July 28, 2006 5:05 AM

One of the best posts I've read in a long time. Error compounding error until both people are entrenched and lost.

All listening stops. Any potential benefits are out of reach. Of course everything between two people is out of reach if no one is reaching.

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Myke July 28, 2006 12:06 PM

Right on, most excellent posting!  [ send green star]  [ accepted]
 
 July 28, 2006 11:11 PM

This made me think of some of the verbal stoushes I have seen between creationists and some of the more extreme evolutionsts (ie the activist ones). I am sure there are more dimensions to it, but this comes out strongly - both sides refuse to acknowledge their own limitations and put themselves on an unethical footing in order to undermine their opposition as much as possible. They focus only on the threats they percieve from their opposition.

This also comes out strongly in politics - people misrepresenting those with different beliefs as being more extreme than they really are and more of a threat to society.

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Good post Myke! July 28, 2006 11:51 PM

Communication Class 101a that is what it all boils down to. It's like anything else in communicating with another. The problem comes in when two individuals OR a group do not truly LISTEN, they might hear the sounds or read the words but they do not LISTEN and they certainly do not usually take the time to process what is said and thus communication is so quickly zapped...it becomes a match of slashing wits... It happens here as well i.e. online...it's not just hearing that we lack but feeling as well...and conversations can quickly go awry...feelings hurt...anger spawns anger...if we could all just slow down and take a chill pill...we'll all get there in the end...

...I think...

So, I stemmed away from the 'evils' but I think it's still on topic.

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 August 01, 2006 3:00 AM

Examples: supporting everything America does because they are fighting terrorism, or supporting middle east terrorists because they oppose American aggression.  [ send green star]
 
 May 22, 2007 12:55 AM



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Comments??? May 22, 2007 2:32 PM


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 May 22, 2007 3:09 PM

There is a guidline to ask provocational questions when you get your host or cohost letter .With some issues it is perhaps not appropriate ! But I totally agree with your post Myke !  

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Maybe... Yes Maybe.... May 10, 2008 5:12 AM

I should RENEW this Thread

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 May 10, 2008 11:51 AM

Good on ya, Myke.

It is now red-pinned.

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 May 14, 2008 8:06 AM


Good.

One has got to wonder who flagged the posts.



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