Acceptance

[savagewind]

I have seen that few people grant others the benefit of the doubt. I think life on Earth would be pleasanter if more people would.
I think it is also true that once a person stumbles somehow that is what she will be known for from then on with some people.
That I disagree with.
My own daughter posted some crazy things to me on facebook. So crazy that I asked, "who is posting for my daughter?". I rode with it and later found out the moon was full that night so I posted to her, "I will consider that outburst yesterday as full moon and forget it." And she appreciated that I did not leave her in the lurch wondering if my feelings were hurt.
I like communicating. It is the most fun! So I think what other people think of me is important. And I think I might like it if communications went two ways more often.

 

[Maponos]

There's nothing that says we have to accept people for who they are. That statement also entails a lot as well. There are many people out in the world who claim they are the way they are but are very vile people and I'd never accept them for who they (say) they are.

 

[BSM1]

Like you're doing? LOL
......like you know what people expect? I do not know that. How do you?

I think you may have misunderstood, but, hey, that's just me.

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

I don't think bigots should be accepted. Tolerated at times, but not accepted.

 

[savagewind]

I don't think bigots should be accepted. Tolerated at times, but not accepted.

I think I can accept some things from a bigot. I think I can accept some things from a psychopath. I think I can accept some things from a sociopath.
There are no perfect like people.

 

[Deidre]

People who are evil or pathologically mental ill, like sociopaths or psychopaths, aren't entitled to be accepted for who they are if they behave antisocially. For everyone else, it's not up to me to judge their worth, but I will judge their actions.

this x 1000

 

[Quagmire]

I accept everybody, but I often find that it's best to accept them from a nice, safe distance.

 

[Deathbydefault]

I have no issue accepting someone, my issue is respecting them.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

A simple question for pontification: when we interact with other humans, do we have an obligation to accept others for who and what they are? If so, why? If not, in what situations do we not have this obligation?

-*-*-*-*-​

This thread may be ill-timed, and for that, I apologize. But in watching certain conversations lately, the thoughts strike me. I consider that a fundamental need that we all have is to be loved and accepted for who and what we are. Then I recognize that outside of some idealized fantasy land, one will never have love and acceptance from all people.

A harder question for pontification: how do we deal with that?

-*-*-*-*-​

We all pick our causes to fight, our battles to wage. When they are battles about acceptance, there is always an element of hypocrisy in them. Here we are, demanding that the other person accept us for who we are, all the while disrespecting their right to be who they are by rejecting us. We all crave acceptance, yet not everybody can be our friend or ally. Not everybody will like us. Where do we draw our lines? How do we deal with this? We can try to keep to our own kind, let others to their way and us to ours. But crossovers between tribes still happen, even if we try to isolate into our like-minded tribes.

There are no easy answers, no easy solutions. We make it up as we go along walking the path of life, through blood and tears, kisses and caresses, apologies and condemnations.

Maybe we can start by recognizing that we all just want to be loved? I don't know how the story ends. How do you want it to end?

(Pardon, this OP is more poetical stream of consciousness than my usual writing... so if this post doesn't make sense or is not very clear or doesn't have a clear discussion topic; I'm not sure what I want to discuss here. Just thoughts that needed to come out, I think.)

It's an interesting topic you raise. And I realise you weren't trying to analyse this to death, so I apologize on my approach.
But I voted no. We shouldn't (necessarily) accept people for what they are. I've added the word 'necessarily' as an important addition in explaining my position. In general, the world would be FAR better if people were more accepting of things which don't directly effect them. As humans, we have some weird need to 'correct' others, which is usually more a means of self-validation than anything.

But...we shouldn't accept a whole raft of behaviours and beliefs, in my opinion. These are (primarily) where the behaviours and beliefs impact on others negatively. This doesn't even need to mean they impact directly on me (for example). If people went on a pagan burning spree, I would hope I would stand up, and not simply think 'Welp, one less religious DIR on RF'.

That's all overstated, obviously, just covering my basic thoughts in a simple manner to start with.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't accept evil people.
They should be crushed.

 

[savagewind]

I don't accept evil people.
They should be crushed.

Do you think maybe evil people exist because "good" people expect them? I do.

 

[Revoltingest]

Do you think maybe evil people exist because "good" people expect them? I do.

They just exist.
Good people aren't the cause.

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Yes - we "should" try 2 be more accepting ...

I am reminded of a quote along these lines:

"Always be kind because most people you meet are fighting a tough battle."

Enjoy your day!

 

[savagewind]

They just exist.
Good people aren't the cause.

I have never met one so I do not know if evil people really do exist. According to my Bible learning good people don't exist.
So I am sorry but we can't understand each other.
I agree that good people do not cause evil people.
Someone says evil people should be crushed. Do you think it is fair that the one that should be crushed believes that same someone should be crushed also?

 

[savagewind]

I suspect there are people who think I am evil. I know for a fact that there are many people who consider me not worth their time and consideration. I know the feeling of being hated. I do not know what I would be if I didn't know love. I understand why some people are evil. They might not want to be that way. Maybe they are weak. I don't think it is a good idea a squash weak people.

 

[Revoltingest]

I have never met one so I do not know if evil people really do exist.

I've met a number of them.
The most outrageous example was my old computer guy, Steve, who turned out to be a vicious serial killer.

According to my Bible learning good people don't exist.

According to the Revoltifarian POOP (Pamphlet Of Official Parables),
I'm expected to judge people, & act accordingly.
I draw the line as multiple murders.....he no longer works for me.

So I am sorry but we can't understand each other.
I agree that good people do not cause evil people.
Someone says evil people should be crushed. Do you think it is fair that the one that should be crushed believes that same someone should be crushed also?

Steve isn't crushed, but he is serving life in prison.
In addition to murder, he also beat an infant to the extent that she never recovered enuf to even feed herself.
Evil.....he's evil.

 

[savagewind]

I've met a number of them.
The most outrageous example was my old computer guy, Steve, who turned out to be a vicious serial killer.

According to the Revoltifarian POOP (Pamphlet Of Official Parables),
I'm expected to judge people, & act accordingly.
I draw the line as multiple murders.....he no longer works for me.

Steve isn't crushed, but he is serving life in prison.
In addition to murder, he also beat an infant to the extent that she never recovered enuf to even feed herself.
Evil.....he's evil.

Yes. I am sorry. There are people who want to harm others and that means evil. I agree with POOP and I apologize for doubting you.
I still wonder though if evil people are ill and weak. Those who are ill need care and those who are weak need help.
It is easy to hate. I think it is a shame that love is rare in this world. It isn't right to return evil for evil but isn't that what happens?
I do not doubt there are some people of my former religion who probably consider that I am evil as I try to reason with them. Do you understand that some evil exists first in the imagination?

 

[RedDragon94]

A simple question for pontification: when we interact with other humans, do we have an obligation to accept others for who and what they are? If so, why? If not, in what situations do we not have this obligation?

-*-*-*-*-​

This thread may be ill-timed, and for that, I apologize. But in watching certain conversations lately, the thoughts strike me. I consider that a fundamental need that we all have is to be loved and accepted for who and what we are. Then I recognize that outside of some idealized fantasy land, one will never have love and acceptance from all people.

A harder question for pontification: how do we deal with that?

-*-*-*-*-​

We all pick our causes to fight, our battles to wage. When they are battles about acceptance, there is always an element of hypocrisy in them. Here we are, demanding that the other person accept us for who we are, all the while disrespecting their right to be who they are by rejecting us. We all crave acceptance, yet not everybody can be our friend or ally. Not everybody will like us. Where do we draw our lines? How do we deal with this? We can try to keep to our own kind, let others to their way and us to ours. But crossovers between tribes still happen, even if we try to isolate into our like-minded tribes.

There are no easy answers, no easy solutions. We make it up as we go along walking the path of life, through blood and tears, kisses and caresses, apologies and condemnations.

Maybe we can start by recognizing that we all just want to be loved? I don't know how the story ends. How do you want it to end?

(Pardon, this OP is more poetical stream of consciousness than my usual writing... so if this post doesn't make sense or is not very clear or doesn't have a clear discussion topic; I'm not sure what I want to discuss here. Just thoughts that needed to come out, I think.)

I believe God accepts us for who we are in order to make us more like him. To portray love you need to experience love. I think it's important to ask ourselves where we are looking to gain acceptance from. People are only human and fail us, God on the other hand is always faithful to what he says he will do. The logical thing here is to look for acceptance from God.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yes. I am sorry. There are people who want to harm others and that means evil. I agree with POOP and I apologize for doubting you.
I still wonder though if evil people are ill and weak. Those who are ill need care and those who are weak need help.
It is easy to hate. I think it is a shame that love is rare in this world. It isn't right to return evil for evil but isn't that what happens?
I do not doubt there are some people of my former religion who probably consider that I am evil as I try to reason with them. Do you understand that some evil exists first in the imagination?

You're correct to doubt me.
It's my job to back up me opinions.
And I'm happy to do so.

 

[Thief]

A simple question for pontification: when we interact with other humans, do we have an obligation to accept others for who and what they are? If so, why? If not, in what situations do we not have this obligation?

-*-*-*-*-​

This thread may be ill-timed, and for that, I apologize. But in watching certain conversations lately, the thoughts strike me. I consider that a fundamental need that we all have is to be loved and accepted for who and what we are. Then I recognize that outside of some idealized fantasy land, one will never have love and acceptance from all people.

A harder question for pontification: how do we deal with that?

-*-*-*-*-​

We all pick our causes to fight, our battles to wage. When they are battles about acceptance, there is always an element of hypocrisy in them. Here we are, demanding that the other person accept us for who we are, all the while disrespecting their right to be who they are by rejecting us. We all crave acceptance, yet not everybody can be our friend or ally. Not everybody will like us. Where do we draw our lines? How do we deal with this? We can try to keep to our own kind, let others to their way and us to ours. But crossovers between tribes still happen, even if we try to isolate into our like-minded tribes.

There are no easy answers, no easy solutions. We make it up as we go along walking the path of life, through blood and tears, kisses and caresses, apologies and condemnations.

Maybe we can start by recognizing that we all just want to be loved? I don't know how the story ends. How do you want it to end?

(Pardon, this OP is more poetical stream of consciousness than my usual writing... so if this post doesn't make sense or is not very clear or doesn't have a clear discussion topic; I'm not sure what I want to discuss here. Just thoughts that needed to come out, I think.)

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you....
is supposed to be the beginning and the end.

alpha and omega