Are People Different Than Me "people" Too?

[skybluelucid]

I was wondering how everyone who is different than me should be treated? I bring this up because I've noticed an alarming number of people who aren't like me and my mind is spinning because, though my moral compass and political convictions remain true, I don't like to think of these "others" as "people" if it means I'm going to have to compromise my views and/or show someone I don't understand compassion just because they're a person. Am I at risk for being converted? If someone is different than me, is it safe for me to use the faucet after they've washed their hands or should they be in a different bathroom? or not in a bathroom at all? I'm certain that sharing a toilet seat would be tantamount to sharing a needle but should they be taxed, outlawed or what? Please only comment if you're the same as me.

[Oneironaut Zero]

It doesn't matter how close the similarities may seem - There is no one on this planet that is "the same as you." Asking for advice from someone that is "the same as you," (as if they existed) would defeat the purpose of asking for advice in the first place, because you'd already know what they were going to say. The best you could do would be to ask for advice from someone who knows where you are coming from and then have the presence of mind to realize that this person is not the same as you, so they are likely to say something you don't instinctually agree with, but should still at least take into consideration, because that is how logic works. To answer your question, I would suppose that you should treat people the way you would like to be treated (at the very least) and probably build on that as you receive cues from that person on how they would like to be treated or respected. If they are attention whores, or people that think that the world should show them some undeserved praised at their every waking breath, draw the line somewhere. Logic, if personally analyzed from experience to experience, (the sooner, the better) should present you with a pretty good guage of what is "mutually respectable," or someone just being completely self-centered (which, by no intention of insult, seems a lot like your present frame of mind.) Everybody deserves the same level of respect as you do. You don't have to agree with someone to understand the possible reasons for their points of view. It's called "empathy" -basically being able to see from different perspectives. Simply being observant and aware of other peoples' positions doesn't compromise your own dedication to your convictions. It is when either you infringe upon that common, humane respect by either demanding more or denying someone else theirs, unjustly, that you begin to succumb to the selfish delusion that everyone, but yourself, is a peice of shit. If that would be your view on life, you'd be better off alone, away from the people you'd care so little about, anyway, ya know?

[DuB]

I was wondering how everyone who is different than me should be treated? [/b] With dignity and respect. The same way you would expect them to treat you. I bring this up because I've noticed an alarming number of people who aren't like me and my mind is spinning because, though my moral compass and political convictions remain true, I don't like to think of these "others" as "people" if it means I'm going to have to compromise my views and/or show someone I don't understand compassion just because they're a person. [/b] It's taken you this long to realize that there are people in this world who are different from you? News flash: everyone is different from one another. How does "different" constitue not being a person, anyway? Is it inherently bad not to be the same as YOU? Don't you think that they probably see you as different? This reminds me of little kids... "You're different and that's bad!" Please. Am I at risk for being converted?[/b] What, like in the religious sense? This question doesn't even make sense, but I'm sure that the answer is "no" regardless of what you mean. No one can change YOUR beliefs except for YOU. If someone is different than me, is it safe for me to use the faucet after they've washed their hands[/b] Yes. or should they be in a different bathroom?[/b] Only if they're of the opposite gender. or not in a bathroom at all?[/b] Why on Earth shouldn't they be allowed in a bathroom? I'm certain that sharing a toilet seat would be tantamount to sharing a needle[/b] Last time I checked, you can't catch AIDS from a toilet seat. but should they be taxed, outlawed or what?[/b] Why?? What did they do? How are they so bad? Please only comment if you're the same as me.[/b] No one is the same as you. You sound like a fucking nutjob. If you ask me, you're WAY more "different" than any of the people you're referring to. Besides, are you inviting discussion or trying to form a Klan here???

[Howie]

An attempt for a discussion with someone with these views would be like clapping with one hand.

[Original Poster]

You guys realize he was being ironic, right?

[King and God]

I was wondering how everyone who is different than me should be treated? I bring this up because I've noticed an alarming number of people who aren't like me and my mind is spinning because, though my moral compass and political convictions remain true, I don't like to think of these "others" as "people" if it means I'm going to have to compromise my views and/or show someone I don't understand compassion just because they're a person. [/b] When I feel annoyed at people, I simply ignore them. That's the best way to deal with it. And I would advise you to simply hide your views. I do that, as it would not be benefit me if I became repulsive to people due to my views. But if you have nothing to gain from a friendship from any of these people, treat them the way you think of them, whether it is respectful or not. Am I at risk for being converted? If someone is different than me, is it safe for me to use the faucet after they've washed their hands or should they be in a different bathroom? or not in a bathroom at all? I'm certain that sharing a toilet seat would be tantamount to sharing a needle but should they be taxed, outlawed or what? [/b] If someone think different than you, it doesn't mean they can infect you physically. Only if the person has AIDS or another disease, you need to be careful to not let them touch anything you may come in contact with.

[ReaLIllusion]

...Only if the person has AIDS or another disease, you need to be careful to not let them touch anything you may come in contact with. [/b] You can't get AIDS by touching something that an AIDS-infected person has touched! Unless it's smothered in their bodily fluids, and you have an open wound or something...

[King and God]

You can't get AIDS by touching something that an AIDS-infected person has touched! Unless it's smothered in their bodily fluids, and you have an open wound or something... [/b] I would prefer being on the safe side. There is a chance they have saliva and/or sweat on their body, which are body liquids.

[DuB]

I would prefer being on the safe side. There is a chance they have saliva and/or sweat on their body, which are body liquids. [/b] You can't catch AIDS from saliva or sweat either. Didn't they teach you this stuff in school? Read this: http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/tips/spread.html

[skybluelucid]

My apologies to everyone who put in a thoughtful reply. I was being sarcastic in my post. I honestly thought that it was so far over the top ridiculous that I'd get a lot of replies that were similar. (I expected at least one equally sarcastic reply to mention a book burning for those "other" people.) I guess my (mostly failed) point was that this website attracts a lot of people who have touched or attempt to touch something bigger, learn something more, and dig deeper into what it means to be conscious and what consciousness is about. It's something that transcends age, race, religion, social class, etc, etc. Hell, it transcends time; which when that happens you know you're probably onto something. It's about dreaming and everything good about humanity. I could certainly be wrong, but (as a newbie) I've observed that some of these forums had a surprising number of topics that seem so contrary to that spirit....topics that focus on differences. Not necessarily empathic (2 pts oneironaut&#33 or sympathetic difference...more like labels which make it easy to identify yourself ("us") or others ("them"). It gives you and "your enemies" a target. It gives you something to waste your time on, something to distract you from the things that really matter. A place to waste your energy. I see and read posts by so many intelligent (and often thoughtful) people. But I also see a lot of wheels spinning on goofy labels that really do nothing other than drive a wedge between people. Wedges that aren't easily overcome because we're constantly reminded of the importance of the label. Labels that reduce the complexity and individual uniqueness for easy processing. Ahh hell....my babbling is starting to sound airy-faerie hippy-dippie preachy and that's not the point I'm trying to make. It's not "can't we all get along" as much as it's "quit letting people tell you what to call someone whose different." Nevermind. Clearly I'm inept when it comes to having to articulate what I think. (Oh, and 10 pts doomedone&#33

[DuB]

On the contrary, I think you're quite articulate. Heh, I should've known someone so articulate couldn't be serious -10pts for DuB

[Oneironaut Zero]

Hey, I was stoned. Even if it was more obvious that you weren't serious, I wouldn't have been able to resist giving a suitable answer, anyway. lol

[King and God]

Teachers here have talked much about most of the STD's, but not about AIDS. Feels good to know it can only be spread through blood and sex. But even so, I would still be very cautious with someone infected nearby.

[Dangeruss]

yeah I pretty much just let my blood flow where it will (except on other people or their things, that's just rude) but I still can't remember a single situation where I've exchanged fluids with someone else. I've never met anyone with AIDs or even HIV as far as I know so I just don't worry about it. And if I did come down with AIDs, its not like I'd be like "oh shit that must have been that one time 7 years ago when I gave Pat a hi-five and we both had cuts on our hands!" It would probably be more like "Oh shit that must be from that time 7 years ago when I had unprotected sex with that old whooker in new york!" but that was a tangent. you bring up a good point skyblue, and it speaks to one of the larger problems with humans in groups. If your goal is to reach higher understanding, there will always be people who don't care about higher understanding and this makes a polarity, which often turns into conflict. I know that I can be friend-or-enemy in thought sometimes, but I mean I try not to, and that's something. Also remember that the kind of labels people like us receive are not always positive. "Dreamer," "Hippie," any kind of label people give us is bound to piss us off, because labels drive stereotype and untruth. I received the 'dreamer' label in my senior english class because I'd often write about or discuss lucid dreaming, and so it soon became a class joke that I spent the most time asleep during class. This was in fact not true, because there were two other people which I think slept even more than I did during class. But these people had different labels, and so the class tended to ignore this obvious truth for the sake of furthering the label. In my mind, anyone who would take labels literally and ignore the truth for the sake of making everyone easier to classify and dismiss fell into their own category: that of 'idiot.' I stand by it, even though I'm subscribing to the system which I've been trying to avoid, for several reasons. The most important is that it helps with the dissappointment I feel every time someone ends up being an idiot. Instead of seeing it as an individual with a closed mind, I see the idiot label as part of human nature, which helps me direct the blame not at people but at the way people are mentally built. It helps me make friends with those people even though they dissappoint me. It helps me identify the idiot within myself and it makes it easier to avoid thinking with him. And so the evil system is not so evil in the end, it just has to be understood and worked correctly, otherwise it generates needless conflict.

[skybluelucid]

you bring up a good point skyblue, and it speaks to one of the larger problems with humans in groups. If your goal is to reach higher understanding, there will always be people who don't care about higher understanding and this makes a polarity, which often turns into conflict. I know that I can be friend-or-enemy in thought sometimes, but I mean I try not to, and that's something. Also remember that the kind of labels people like us receive are not always positive. "Dreamer," "Hippie," any kind of label people give us is bound to piss us off, because labels drive stereotype and untruth. [/b] Thanks. I think there's a real misunderstanding of dreams because western values teach us "that's not real" and success is measured mostly by how much of something you have. I also think that it's easy to write off because anything that's not well understood gets thrown into the "new age" group. I'm not here to give credence or discredit any of it. But I think that websites that bridge OBE and lucid dreaming and any of a dozen other phenomena do all the fields of interest a disservice by association. ("Well if you believe in dragons and belive the earth is flat, how could you possibly have a clue about dreams?") That's why I like DV. Dreams. That's all. (Cheers, Icedawg&#33