Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site pyuxd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!pyuxww!pyuxd!rlr From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen) Newsgroups: net.singles,net.social Subject: Re: The use of '-type' Message-ID: <1332@pyuxd.UUCP> Date: Fri, 26-Jul-85 20:23:59 EDT Article-I.D.: pyuxd.1332 Posted: Fri Jul 26 20:23:59 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 29-Jul-85 04:49:08 EDT References: <968@peora.UUCP> <1424@mtx5b.UUCP> Organization: Whatever we're calling ourselves this week Lines: 34 Xref: watmath net.singles:8243 net.social:859 >>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*.) [ROSEN] > 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." [SILBERMANN] As I've said a hundred and fifty times before, we don't exist to serve the needs or wants of society, society exists to serve OUR wants and needs. Putting it the other way around strikes me as silly. > 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? > :-) Because communication is (usually) a multi-person event, and commonality of language is necessary. When it comes to something that's my own business, like what I choose to do or how I choose to act, what business is it of anybody else's how I do it? What business is it of theirs to label it and pin that label on me? -- Providing the mininum daily adult requirement of sacrilege... Rich Rosen ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr