Comments | oursin: Random thoughty things

oursin

Random thoughty things

Jun 08, 2006 19:05

Even jetlagged as I am, my palaeography skillz totally ROOOL: had reader today who wanted help in deciphering various bits of C19th scientist's correspondence, and in all but one instance (which took a bit longer) I got the words Just Like That, to reader's enormous admiration.

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What is that phenomenon whereby people think that praising one ( Read more... )

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Comments 10

serrana June 8 2006, 18:45:09 UTC

Hee, isn't palaeography fun? You're reminding me I have to dig back into the cemetery lot records, now that I'm done digging weeds....

My Nana has always maintained that the best revenge is living well. And she's right.

(The comment has been removed)

ex_greythist387 June 8 2006, 19:20:37 UTC

and still useful

Yes! Once it was handy for reading a doctor's scrawl during jury deliberation....

ex_greythist387 June 8 2006, 19:19:29 UTC

What does one call it (fancy term, please) when the handwriting isn't terribly old? I too love that feeling when what's presented as elements of a cipher line up just so.

shiv5468 June 8 2006, 20:36:29 UTC

I saw the article on beating children and was horrified. It's utterly irrational to think that physical punishment is appropriate when a baby wriggles when it's having its nappy changed.

amaliedageek June 8 2006, 20:46:17 UTC

Oh, the Pearls are real pieces of work. They believe divorce is wrong under any circumstances and suggest that a parent found molesting the children should only be turned in if it's felt that "the children aren't safe" and they're "unwilling to repent" -- and that parent should be taken back into the home after their sentence is concluded.

shiv5468 June 8 2006, 20:52:44 UTC

There really isn't a lot to be said to that is there? It's too horrific to grasp that people like that exist in the modern world.

If a paedophile group said something like that they'd be hounded and prosecuted.

amaliedageek June 8 2006, 22:16:29 UTC

I can think of quite a few things to say, actually, but it's likely that oursin would rather I didn't display my knowledge of invective all over her journal.

Thread 5

going_not_gone June 8 2006, 23:09:17 UTC

What is that phenomenon whereby people think that praising one thing means comparing it to something else, to the detriment of the latter?

I've never understood the zero-sum approach to conversation: for me to be right, you have to be completely and totally wrong. It's a sign of intellectual insecurity, I think--a sense that any criticism of your point of view invalidates you as a person, and that therefore you have to attack, attack, attack rather than ever conceding a different opinion might have value.

Ann Coulter has this in a particularly virulent and vicious form...pity it isn't fatal.