Quote:


Sometimes giving up hope is the best option. I guess the trait I am
appealing to here is wisdom, which is slightly different than rationality,
although it can be said to be rational.



babyada,

As always, I appreciate your own wisdom and openness in sharing. You're a
great writer, as others have pointed out, and I hope you are working on a
book or something.

With regards to your comments about rationality, irrationality, and
wisdom, and the appropriateness of each in its place and time, I agree to
a certain extent. To be honest, I would probably be the doctor who doles
out the straight dope, because it is not my job to sugar-coat the truth.
It is my job and moral duty to tell my patients the true state of things
according to the best that my objective diagnosing allows me to state. If they want
fuzzy-wuzziness, let them consult their pastors and priests and monks and
politicians ... they are good at that kind of thing. Yes, we all have
different roles in this world, and my role is to see it as it is and call
it as it is. To me, wisdom is being able to discern the chaff from the
wheat. If chaff is what some prefer, there's plenty who would provide it.
The world does not need another dispenser of flack.

Anyway, I have to share a great release with regards to my feelings
regarding this forum. It just occurred today. I realized that I was
taking things personally here only because I had felt great animosity from
those who are anti-science, anti-reason. But an "ah-ha" moment came when
I realized, "Ok - so what? I'm not here to make friends! I'm here to
represent to the best of my ability a rational side of the universe, a
side which some choose to ignore, but a side which is part of their
universe nonetheless. So what if they don't like what I have to say? So
what if they disdain science and scientists? My job is merely to remind
them that these things are part of their universe, too. And whether or
not they like it, as long as I've done my job to the best of my ability, I
should be happy, not depressed."

Wow - it really was a great feeling of release. Anyway, I doubt many
would appreciate it, but I just had to share.