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Billy Liar

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Everything posted by Billy Liar

  1. I was content to just not go to the conference, and tell my rector that I had problems with work and just couldn't fit it in, but that wouldn't be right, either. Actually, my mother is planning on talking to said rector this morning, ostensibly on how to "fix" me, or if I should still go. Ah, yes. I did know it would come down to this, and that is what frightens me. Not so much the uncomprimising stand-- but who I need to make it to. I don't particularly relish the idea of my mother thinking of me going through life as some sort of half-formed individual. Myself, maybe. I just wouldn't feel comfortable.
  2. I don't really know if I'm posting this in the right place, but I'm sure it'll be filed in the appropriate area if it's not. This is a personal question, and I'm asking for advice, but I'm hoping other people will share their own experiences, too. Today I "came out" to my very spiritual but not religious mother as an atheist. I was trying to put it off, but I felt I was forced to for basic ethical reasons: A few years ago, when I was still a theist, I considered becoming a priest. At the end of my "soul-searching" and study, I realized that I was an atheist. Originally, I was terrified to think of God not existing, of the lack of cosmic safety-net as it were, but once I entertianed the thought, the idea seemed natural to me and I've been a tolerant, if hard-core atheist ever since. I never spoke of going to seminary to my mother again, and assumed that she had forgotten all about it. A few weeks ago, my mother came to me, very excited, and showed me a flyer for a conference in Los Angeles specifically for young people considering ordination. She and our rector at church thought I should go. I feigned excitement (I would LOVE to go to Los Angeles. I want to go to school out there) and reluctantly registered for the program. While I have signed up, nothing is official. However, this afternoon, after thinking about it, it seemed unbelieveably unethical and wrong for me to lead everyone on and spend the diocese's money on something I couldn't give two figs about. So I told her. And she, like I figured, was VERY disappointed. She called my ideas the epitome of ignorance and arrogance (which I found incredibly insulting, but I didn't argue), and it didn't surprise her that I felt this way because I am at an age (19, almost 20) when I feel that I know everything although I have experienced so little (folly of youth and all that, I guess). She also said that it would surprise her if I felt the same way when I was 45, and if I did, it would mean that I had not grown as a person. The whole conversation ended with the idea that I could be "fixed", and the recommendation that I go to the conference anyway to begin the healing, as it were. Her own hypocritical statements aside-- nothing is more ignorant or arrogant than to believe that you can change someone's reasoned, calculated ideas-- I'm still very hurt. My mother and I have never, ever had a major disagreement like this. I'm tempted to go along with anything she says at this point in order to salvage the relationship. But, on the other hand, this is MY life. I need to do what's best for myself in order to be able to look in the mirror and know I did the "right thing". I know she's going to try to change me. I can't resist too much, because I still depend on her for, if nothing else, shelter and tuition for school. My closing questions are twofold: Is there a proper objectivist solution to this problem? Or am I just sunk? Has anyone else had something like this happen? How'd you handle it? Thank you for reading this far. I appreciate any input.
  3. Like I said, I mean no disrespect or to start a war of any kind, I really was just wondering. Anyway, what you've all said so far has been helpful. Thanks.
  4. This is the idea I was going for, but I guess I couldn't say it as eloquently. I was still thinking along the lines of giving to a charity, if only to make the world at large a better place for you to live in. As in: "I live in this city. This city is overpopulated with homeless people. I don't want to look at/step over homeless people anymore. Therefore I will give money to a homeless shelter so these people will be off the street and I don't have to see them anymore." Does that work? Or is that just a perverted form of altruism?
  5. I was wondering if a lot of Objectivists vote Republican, especially as the GOP is supposed to be all about small government and such, but their social policies are incredibly anti-Objecivist. Also, for those Objectivists that do vote Republican, how do you reconcile that? I'm not judging (I'm pretty neutral, politically speaking), I'm just wondering.
  6. [Mod's note: Merged with an earlier thread. sN] I just finished The Fountainhead two days ago, and I have a question about Rand's assertions that altruism and the self are entirely contradictory ideas... ...but couldn't altruism be, in a way, selfish as well? I mean, say you're a person who has done well for themselves. I mean really well, economically speaking. Would it be in line with with Objectivist principles for them to give away a chunk of their earnings every year to altruistic endeavors, if only because they thought it the right thing to do (not because of guilt or someone told them to) , or does this fall under the heading of living another man's life for them? Or am I missing the point (this is entirely possible)? See, I always had this idea that if done of one's own free will, and not motivated by any religious or social principles, just the basic idea of seeing a problem and trying to correct it, that altruism could still work within the Objectivist philosophy. Or not. Set me straight, if need be.
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