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| quote: | Originally posted by ChemEnhanced
The greatest flaw in humans is that we do feel for others that we really have no emotional attachment to other then they are also human. |
Ahhh, so close, so very close!
This is perhaps the greatest flaw in western society, coupled with the assumption that the ideal is an absolute rather than a cultural relative.
There have been many cultures and religions throughout history - not just this certain extreme sect of Islam - who have considered it good and honourable to die in battle (martyrdom). These people do not grieve or feel remorse for the dead, they celebrate it. We "enlightened" westerners are virtually incapable of seeing this as anything other than sadistic and perverse, so we naturally assume that no human being in any region or culture would be capable of such a mentality.
This isn't specific to one extreme sect of Islam - it's been a deeply-rooted belief for many cultures throughout history. Even in the west, we weren't always so sensitive to death. The typical American home used to have a parlour where dear old Dad would be dressed up in his best suit and hung on a coat rack for a week just to make sure that he was really, seriously, honest-to-goodness dead. Today, the idea of death or killing just freaks us out and most of us simply shut down all higher-order brain functions when confronted with the concept.
For such a mentality, it's not even an issue of "collateral damage" or "acceptable losses". When Israel retaliates by bombing the crap out of wherever, the resulting civilian casualties are seen by Hamas as part of a greater good. Their deaths had a purpose, and they will get the red-carpet treatment in heaven. These families aren't sad that various pieces of their 17-year-old sons are stuck to the walls and ceilings of a pizzeria any more than the typical Canadian family would be if their kids decided to go to law school.
The pieces fall into place very easily once you accept the cultural differences. Unfortunately, tolerant and open-minded as we claim to be, we just can't seem to accept that, which makes it all too easy to get taken in by theatrics. Almost everything said in this thread so far proves that.
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My party schedule:
2009-02-21 - DJ Attention @ I'm So Popular
2009-06-18 - DJ Annoying @ People Need To Know Where I'll Be
2012-11-32 - DJ Insufferable ɸ Or At Least the Stalkers I Complain About
2048-06-66 - Spastic & Whocares ¶ Although I'm Actually Flattered
9999-45-81 - Tweaker Gimp ☼ I Probably Won't Even Go To This But I Have To Make Sure I Fill Up All The Available Space Here
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