*yaaAAAAAaawn*

So I am tired this morning, and a bit annoyed, but what can I say...

A few things about traditionalism popped through my mind. And also some more thoughts about the importance of a secular society.

When does Liberalism become conservativism? Or when do new ideas become tradition? It's something that was brought up during a humanities class discussion a few weeks ago... "The Liberals of the sixties are the conservatives of today" which isn't obviously entirely true; after all, we still have Ted Kennedy, don't we? It's an interesting idea. Once someone's liberal wishes have been fulfilled, they do not want to change them, do they? Do they wish to go on with what they pursue? Of course the new ideas do spring up with every generation, but the older generation thinks things are fine the way they are.

My opinion is that society should always be scientifically progressive ... so that we may constantly gather knowledge about ourselves and about our surroundings. Moral restrictions should be lifted if they are irrational. For instance, Stem Cell research is only condemned because of the destruction of a few human embryo cells. Science explains how these embryos can be used to save other human beings. Religion explains how these cells could become possibly another human. Science is reason. Religion is faith. Science offers a naturalistic explanation for our world and the surrounding Universe. It's the only thing which can explain who we are, where we came from with empirical fact.

"staying the course" as a traditionalist might say, might work for a while, but in the end, we'll always have to evolve with the times. If we stick to an ideology, yet still posess knowledge that could make us a beter society in the long-run, then what is the use of humans even existing at all? This is double-think. It's irrational to hold onto false information when you know that there is a better way to approach something. To make humanity better as a whole isn't just a secular idea, it is the general goal of most faiths as well. The problem is indeed traditional ideology. We can't stay the course, we have to keep moving and picking up new tricks along the way. If it works, then we will keep using it until we find something better.

This merges now with my rant about secularism...

it's important to work for the common good of humanity rather than self-interest. But it can't be denied that in order to work for the good of humanity, you have to be good yourself. What is good? Is it in an all-knowing book, or in some prophet somewhere? Does it lie in history, do we even know what it is? I believe it lays in society. The United States is what it is because of the laws which define it. Japan is who it is because of the laws which define it. This can be said with every country on earth. The UK has some of the most advanced technology on the planet. They also have one of the most progressive societies, always taking on social issues with leaps and bounds of human understanding. For example, compared to the United States, there is lesser and lesser discrimination of minority groups. Because there is little propaganda pushing for their social discrimination.

Why is this discrimination so popular in the United States? Because gays are against the bible. because women have always been the maid of the house. because Mexicans haven't done a damned thing for this country. Because Blacks commit the most crime out of anyone. It's ideology, traditional ideology, that will not go away because we won't let it. We can't be a scientifically innovative country if we don't let the fact go that the Earth is NOT 6,000 years old! That the increase of the Black population isn't the cause of more crime! This too is another example of Double-think. To know that there is evidence against something you think is fact, and yet having no evidence yourself, and still holding on to that belief. Of course, that is faith, and everyone is entitled to that....... in their own home. But this kind of ideology being posessed on a national level is dangerous. So dangerous that people are killed from it. Not only through discrimination, but because the potential to save other human beings' lives is lost completely ... just because someone said "Stem Cell research is wrong", and that someone told a friend, who believed him. It's not right to let such information travel through the ears of people and have them believe it without question. People have the right to know the truth, and that's exactly what traditionalism deprives of people. Organized religion is traditionalism ... we could do without it.

class is about to end, so I cut this rant short.

maybe more later..... maybe not
~David~