How to be objective? One example is living in foreign countries (I spent 3 years in Paris) and have regular daily contact with the native people. One realizes by discovery that while learning about this foriegn country, you are learning even more about your own (through cultural comparison and the natives' perception of your home country).
With that being said, I would like to comment on this education issue that seems to be maintaining a lively dialogue. To address the point of religion in schools- I read the Kansas resolution and to say the least, was chilled to the bone--I feel as many others, that it has no place there as per intent.
Church is free and abundant in the USA with 40% of the nation paying their respects at least once a week. And as far as their children getting religious education-- don't they have Sunday SCHOOL programs at church?
If religious folks want religion in school, to be fair all religions should be taught with equal attention to the subject, theology, to give all its honest due and as a subject to be studied not narrow-mindedly indoctrinated. (perhaps the Christian Coalition would not have this *quite* in mind.
I wouldn't actually mind it being taught in a manner taken for the ancient religions and religious dieties; (i.e. the Egyptian/Greek/Roman Gods) as myth with historical importance.
I would also like to comment on the "reducing sex drive" issue. Before that
I should mention that I am a feminist. Wait don't sigh...I'm not one of
those WASPy girls that are as much in touch with reality as our fairy tale
maiden with the long red hair in a certain tower. I'm a
Camille-Paglia-let's- be- real-
It may be dangerous, volitale, but it's also the woman's "ace in the hole".
Men do "strange things" that go not only against their intellectual but
biological nature as well. They assist in raising children, work extremely
hard on their career (often something they may not enjoy) and live peaceably
in a society.
If they don't their fundamental urges are denied. ANyone ever seen the movie
The male sex drive indirectly does alot of good for women (besides the
obvious direct part). If we diminished it we would loose the female power to
bend men to the will of women.
ace-it-that-with-freedom-comes-responsibility-wake-up-upper-middle-clas
s-girls-I-grew-up-with- that-
u-want-to-think-that-boys-will-behave-nice-like-girls-then-perhaps-you-
need-a-chaperone-on-your-outings-my-lassies-because-testostrone-is-dangerous
-!!!!-!!! kind of feminist.
"Trading Places", where Eddie Murphy says, "I lost my job, my wife won't
make love to me no more"? hmmmmm.
Once we have reached voluntary immortality. Sex will no longer be an issue anyway, right? Could loosing the sexual interest mean to loose the interest to think and be our clever pre-transhuman selves? I think not. We could loose the interest in sex simply through lack of hormones, but thinking is so fundamentally tied to the conscious mind that it may be happy to plod along ad infinitum learning its fancies. Those who loose interest could always "unplug" themselves.
Before everyone nods off, I want to mention some of my favorite authors and
would like to hear of any recommendations. Matt Ridley, Richard Dawkins (I
noticed others share my interest there). ALso Carl Djerassi for his
science-in-fiction novels--lots of fun. For real feminism (not
-nazism)Camille Paglia. Political freshness??, Aldous Huxley (no not just
"Brave New World").
In further regard to Huxley's novels: One can learn alot more from ficitious dinner parties in the 1920s then through political debates on television today. It was a time of hope, worry, and major political turmoil. The mixing of many intellectual minds and their repsective political parties. A period on the brink of National Socialism that fell on the Industrialized world. As we move into the new century/millineum this grey cloud still looms over us.......
Best Regards,
Renee Chantrill