Philosophical Question of the Day . . .

[ER]

This reminds me of that quote I emailed you the other day, ER.

Do you still have it?

I do indeed, sir, thank you!

War is a really awful invention, the Crusades little exception, but people today seem to forget that Moslems struck first, invading and conquering what had for half a millennium been Christian lands. Although granted that did take place about three centuries before Pope Urban got a bee in his three-tiered crown and concocted one of history's more successful sales pitches. What puzzles me is that if you get right down to it, Jerusalem is not all that attractive a piece of real estate (harder than you'd think to find a Starbucks there, and as for a good ham sandwich...forget it)  and yet people just keep killing each other over it era after era.  At least when Helen of Troy launched those thousand ships she could, you know, offer something in return. Jerusalem just lies there like a tenth grade girl on prom night.

The world's a weird place. I'll never understand it. Or why people like Kanye West.

[ER]

You run an under-paying day care business, mostly a tax write-off, and there's one little A.D.D. boy who just WILL NOT go to sleep at nap-hour, which is your own personal me-time when you sext the person you're cheating on your siggie with, so natch you put tranquilizers in the little s**t's Juicy Juice, uh-kay? By semester's end the kid's addicted and his mom can't figure out why he's getting headaches and is so cranky in the evening, clawing his face and such. (And you refuse to give him a hit of the drug to tide him over before he leaves, 'cause let's face it, those pills aren't cheap or nothin'!) Now, you know the mom's a real b***h who wouldn't shut up about the drugging and if she found out it'd be blah-blah-blah lawsuit, cops. The dilemma comes in on whether you should think up a plan to get the mother hooked on the same drug so you can control the supply and keep her docile when you tell her what you've done, or do you just let the little punk scream and puke his way through withdrawals when he leaves your class, 'cause, hey, not your problem anymore?

Discuss?

And BTW, I have a reason for asking all this...

[indianasmith]

It sounds like the person you are describing is human scum who has no business being near children AT ALL.

[JaseSF]

Sounds like a criminal act to me. Drugs and drug addiction is no laughing matter.

[Jack]

Let the little punk scream and puke.  The other option sounds like a Lifetime movie of the week script, but I have zero faith in it working in real life.  Of course, Jerry Springer is a millionaire...

[Dennis]

Children, even one afflicted with A.D.D. deserve to be treated well, especially by adults who are supposed to be caring for and protecting them. This person should be shot.

[ER]

Assuming it was an unchangeable, lifelong circumstance, would it be better to spend your time on this earth being thought ethically upstanding, but secretly be morally bankrupt, or the reverse, to be despised as corrupt, but in actuality be a good person, even if no one else knew it?

What, though, if the first scenario brought you lifelong happiness and prosperity, while the latter engendered misery and destitution even unto your final breath?

And finally what if there was no karma or divine punishment/reward coming to balance the scales on human behavior, and this earthly life was all there was or ever would be? Which would be better in that case: outward respectability as a villain, or secret virtue as an outcast?

[indianasmith]

That's too much to think about this early!

[Trevor]

That's too much to think about this early!

Here's another one for you: Will Trevor ever get clean undies? 

[Dennis]

Assuming it was an unchangeable, lifelong circumstance, would it be better to spend your time on this earth being thought ethically upstanding, but secretly be morally bankrupt, or the reverse, to be despised as corrupt, but in actuality be a good person, even if no one else knew it?

What, though, if the first scenario brought you lifelong happiness and prosperity, while the latter engendered misery and destitution even unto your final breath?

And finally what if there was no karma or divine punishment/reward coming to balance the scales on human behavior, and this earthly life was all there was or ever would be? Which would be better in that case: outward respectability as a villain, or secret virtue as an outcast?

I would prefer to be a good person, even if no one knew and I was despised by others, with the other option, I would despise myself, no matter how much prosperity and happiness it brought me.

That's too much to think about this early!

I agree, I now have a headache.

Here's another one for you: Will Trevor ever get clean undies? 

Trevor my friend, if you give me your address I will send you a package of fresh tighty whities from Sam's Club.

[ER]

I understand there's a franchise opportunity in South Africa, Trevor.


http://www.redorbit.com/news/oddities/1715648/man_crosses_canada_handing_out_underwear/

[Flangepart]

Huh. A kinda 'Johnny Fruit of the Loom."

[JaseSF]

A good person as a person who hasn't yet had the success I want in life yet I'm happy with who I am.

[Trevor]

I understand there's a franchise opportunity in South Africa, Trevor.


http://www.redorbit.com/news/oddities/1715648/man_crosses_canada_handing_out_underwear/

LOL

[ER]

As you're heading out to lunch you see the boss who refused to give you a raise fall in the decorative pond in front of your office. He flails his arms and screams, "Help me, I can't swim!" Then begins to sink under the surface. Feeling a terrible sense of conflict just before you drive away, you wonder: should you go to McDonald's for lunch, or save a buck by microwaving something at the local Quik-E Mart?

Spending versus thriftiness is an ancient philosophical conundrum. What would you do?