Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site unc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!decvax!mcnc!unc!fsks From: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) Newsgroups: net.singles,net.social Subject: Re: The use of '-type' Message-ID: <24@unc.UUCP> Date: Thu, 25-Jul-85 15:28:39 EDT Article-I.D.: unc.24 Posted: Thu Jul 25 15:28:39 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 28-Jul-85 03:55:29 EDT References: <968@peora.UUCP> <1424@mtx5b.UUCP> Reply-To: fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) Organization: CS Dept., U. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill Lines: 24 Xref: linus net.singles:7187 net.social:800 In article rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) writes: > >The problem is that so many people deliberately "choose" to go along >with the "-type" behavior you describe (male-type or female-type) >because they think they're supposed to. While others choose a group >to belong to because they see their behavior as being appropriate for >that group. Sad that this sort of thing is perpetuated. >Why not just define yourself who you are and not let externals dictate what >you "should" do or what group you "should" belong to. (I know, easier said >than done. But so often not even *said*.) Why do we care about society's values instead of just defining our own? Because man is a social animal (like the wolf or ape), and not a natural loner (like the cat or the hawk). We depend on society to create for us a suitable environment for living, and in return we must make a reasonable effort to support the society and live by its rules. Many of society's rules are purely arbitrary, but as Dr. Fred Brooks says about software engineering, "Almost any systematic set of rules is more effective than having no plan at all." Why bother speaking the same language everyone else speaks? Why not just invent your own language, and then look for a group that speaks it? :-) Frank Silbermann