Re: Obligation & Compassion

E. Shaun Russell (e_shaun@uniserve.com)
Mon, 15 Sep 1997 23:01:42 -0700


Frederick Mann wrote:

>To him, in his situation, $5 is probably quite significant;
>to me it's almost like nothing. And I did gain a feeling
>of having done my good deed for the day. I probably felt
>a little bit happier, having given him $5, than I would
>have felt, giving him nothing.
>
>Generally, in voluntary transactions, both parties gain.

That is exactly it...probably the intended crux of what Perry was
saying in a previous post. It is of utmost importance to acknowledge the
reasons behind everything one is doing. One has no limits or obligations.
If you choose to give the bum $5, that is your personal choice...not an
obligation. If you had been so willing, you could have kept that $5 and
bought something for yourself. This translates into the way one lives from
day to day. I drive within the lines of the road because it is more
beneficial to me...not simply because I am told to drive within the lines
of the road. If I so wished, I could drive in the other lane; however,
that would not be beneficial to me. The same goes for *any* situation.
One must be able to acknowledge this for himself before he can truly
denounce the government or any other impositions. Once one acknowledges
his true freedoms, then he can tackle the concept of alleviating the
sanctioned "penalties" for ignoring rules or laws.

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E. Shaun Russell Poet, Musician, Atheist, Extropic Artist
==============================> Transhumanities editor for Homo Excelsior
Kineticize your potential... http://www.excelsior.org
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