Could you be friends with a Nazi??

[patrice]

80. "no real power", IMO, the problem isn't that there are "ir-reconcilable" "differences" but that for

at least some of those who think there are, that assessment is based upon an absolute that they ever so co-incidentally happen to own and that's despite the fact that they may be missing some essential information (and that they reject any recognition of that possibility) and, therefore, COULD be in error and those mistakes could be extremely costly (and I don't mean just money).

Right! I accept the fact that I cannot, MUST NOT, coerce anyone, no matter how right I think I might be, because I could be wrong; there is at least some minor possibility that I am wrong AND THAT MATTERS anyway. I have "no real power" over others that they don't, in one way or another, willingly yield to me, or I to them.

BUT - That doesn't mean that I cannot, that is I SHOULD NOT, require of them the same allegiance to reality that I am willing to pay myself and that is, no matter how "right" you think you are, it is NECESSARY to admit (because of the nature of what is referred to as "proof&quot that you COULD be wrong and being wrong matters just as much as being right does.

Right, short of hands-on-throats, or weapons pointed point blank at one another, we have "no real power", but, if reality really does matter, that does not mean that I have no responsibility to call others to the same allegiance to truth that I am trying to live by myself, instead of pretending that they OWN somekind of absolute and, because we have "no real power", everyone else be damned.

Differences are expected AND NECESSARY, even good in many situations, the real questions are about how we process them, or do we abdicate ALL power to the strongest fascists amongst us.