[Hindsite]

We will never understand liberals and progressives until we recognize that they often see reality as a social construct subject to being challenged and changed. For example, throughout the world, boys and girls have different toy preferences. Typically, boys like to play with cars and trucks, whereas girls prefer dolls. Liberals explain this with the assertion that boys and girls are socialized and encouraged to play with different types of toys by their parents, peers and "society."

Another reality issue that's extremely annoying to liberals and progressives is chromosomal sex determination. The XX/XY sex determination system is found in humans. Females have two of the same kind of sex chromosome (XX), whereas males have two distinct sex chromosomes (XY). This chromosomal reality is seen as limiting, annoying and an artifact of a patriarchal, chauvinistic society. So liberals and progressives want to change it. Say you are an XY (male) individual but would like to conduct your affairs in a facility designated for XX (female) individuals, such as a ladies' room. You can satisfy your desire by claiming that you are transgender -- that is, you've switched from one gender to another. Therefore, if one has XY chromosomes, he can behave as if he were an XXer. Plus, there is the expectation of being addressed according to one's chosen gender. The Minneapolis Police Department has a new rule that requires officers to address transgender people using their preferred names and pronouns. When an XYer is arrested but claims he is a woman, I wonder whether the police will place him in a cell with XXers. Just how far the Minneapolis authorities will go is in question; maybe they, too, believe that reality is optional.

Somehow liberals and progressives manage to cope with some realities but go ballistic with others. The reality that they go ballistic on is the reality that we are not all equally intelligent. There are many more male geniuses than female, and median male IQ is higher. Liberals might argue bias in the testing. Men are taller on average than women. If liberals don't like that, would they accuse the height-measuring device of being biased?

The lesson liberals need to learn is that despite their arrogance, they do not have the power to alter reality.

[ingliz]

boys like to play with cars and trucks, whereas girls prefer dolls.

Bullcrap as usual.

While an interplay of hormones and social messages seems to impact sex differences in children’s play (Auyeung et al. 2009; Ehrhardt and Money 1967; Ehrhardt, Epstein, and Money 1968; Hines et al. 2002), culture drives many of the factors that inculcate children’s gender stereotypes.

In migrant communities, children’s observations within their micro environments—environments in which both parents have similar educational backgrounds, work in difficult jobs consisting of similar manual labor activities, leave for and return from work at the same time, and share similar household duties with little time for gender-specific leisure activities—also undermine gender differentiation (Sana and Massey 2007). In many cases, children take over the roles that parents traditionally perform inside and outside the home further undermining traditional gender roles.

The twenty-one migrant girls and twenty boys they studied failed to exhibit gender differences in their play in the classroom, during their free play outdoors, or during their unstructured play at home. The authors also found no gender differences among these children in cognitive tasks, social interactions, and their use of their preferred language. In another study among displaced Nigerian children, no gender differences existed in the manifestation of aggression among the children (Ogwo 2013).

Gender roles are not fixed. In Sudan, women have used displacement as a period to transform and reconfigure gender roles in their communities (Grabska 2013). Similarly, Iranian immigrant men in Sweden undertook a reexamination of their masculine roles (Kosravi 2009).

[Hong Wu]

I think there's multiple ways to understand reality, with different levels of understanding and the easiest way to grasp it usually seems to decide the character of the times without needing to be ultimately true or correct since humans can make their own little bubbles that last for sometimes a surprisingly long period before bursting.

Anyway, liberalism used to be the best reflection of this general concept of reality but now it no longer is and it is fighting a defensive action against whatever neo-nationalist movements come next.

[Potemkin]

Everyone struggles against reality, Hindsite. In fact, we owe the existence of our civilisation itself to the fact that our ancestors struggled against their Stone Age reality, and every generation since then has struggled against the reality in which they found themselves. If reality is not to our liking (and it usually isn't), we try to change it, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. There is therefore nothing intrinsically wrong with the fact that liberals (or conservatives, or whoever) are struggling against reality. The only issue is whether or not they could possibly succeed in changing reality, and whether or not those changes would be for the better.

[Hong Wu]

Maybe where Potepot et al. and I differ is that he believes reality can be changed, whereas metaphysics aside, people like me don't believe that.

[Decky]

Obviously reality can be changed, we have done it lots of times before after all. We are not living in caves and being eaten by sabre toothed tigers any more because someone looked at the reality he was living in, he didn't like it and he decided to strive to change it.

[Hong Wu]

I think that when someone invents something, we act as if they have changed reality when the truth is that the potential was always there, it was just going unused. Maybe people aggregate this conceit of human creation until they pretend they aren't the same creature they were before they "invented" another way to freeze natural selection, which instead of being progress merely maintains them as a weaker version of what they were before.

Every human-made binary relies upon its own antithesis to exist, the only way you might oppose this is through non-action since both action and refusing to act feeds one side or the other.

Unfortunately there is something that blocks the reality of non-action from becoming apparent to the majority of people.

[Potemkin]

Maybe people aggregate this conceit of human creation until they pretend they aren't the same creature they were before they "invented" another way to freeze natural selection, which instead of being progress merely maintains them as a weaker version of what they were before.

Modern humans are both immeasurably stronger and immeasurably weaker than their Stone Age ancestors. Because of the progress of human civilisation, we are collectively much stronger than Stone Age societies ever were or ever could be; so much so that we are now changing the entire planet's climate, without even intending to. On the other hand, most individuals in our modern society don't even know how to start a fire with a couple of sticks, or how to plough a field, or how to construct a snare to catch a rabbit. Drop the average modern human into a Stone Age environment, and he would probably starve to death within a couple of weeks. But so what? All that matters is the collective strength of the human race; individuals are ephemeral and insignificant. Besides, we no longer live in a Stone Age environment; we have long ago changed that reality to one more to our liking.

[MistyTiger]

boys like to play with cars and trucks, whereas girls prefer dolls.

Not necessarily. I have had friends who preferred to draw or play with cars and trucks. I know I preferred cars and trucks. A lot of this depends on the girls' playmates and their parents.

While I did have dolls around me, I did not play with them all that much. Some girls like to dress up the dolls while others do not.

I was one of those girls who grew up watching cowboy films and James Bond films. I did not appreciate the more feminine stuff until much later. A lot of it had to do with the TV I watched and what I was exposed to at home.

We will never understand liberals and progressives until we recognize that they often see reality as a social construct subject to being challenged and changed. For example, throughout the world, boys and girls have different toy preferences. Typically, boys like to play with cars and trucks, whereas girls prefer dolls. Liberals explain this with the assertion that boys and girls are socialized and encouraged to play with different types of toys by their parents, peers and "society."

We do not have to understand everything. We do not have to understand how the earth came about. We just have to get along with each other.

Philosophers have debated about what reality is for thousands of years. Some believe that reality is an internal construct, some that it is a social construct, and still others believe that objective reality is found when we look outside of ourselves, a famous book is by Thomas Nagel, The View From Nowhere, I think is the title. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in long books with lots of abstractness and lots of text.

I do believe that society encourages us to play with different types of toys. I was fortunate that no one said I had to play with dolls or that I had to spend time with the girls. I liked to hang out with the boys during recess sometimes and I loved racing those hot wheels cars on the floor. I found playing with blocks and legos to be more stimulating than changing doll clothes.

Personality is also responsible for our preferences. I was a curious sort and I had to have lots of things to do to keep me occupied. So just playing with dolls was not enough for me. If a boy likes to play with dolls, it could be that dolls fascinate him by how delicate and pristine they look or something like that.

The lesson liberals need to learn is that despite their arrogance, they do not have the power to alter reality.

No one can alter reality. You are over-generalizing. For some reason, you have an intense aversion to liberals. It makes one wonder why the liberals did to you. Did they take away your food? Did they take your legs away? Well whatever they did, it really left you resentful. Not all liberals are like that.

You really sound preachy which I often see with the religious right when they get up on their pulpits and scold people for being arrogant sinners and for having sinful thoughts. I used to go to church in my early teens so I remember how it was. After awhile all the sermons could be condensed into one sentence for me, "You are a sinner and you should listen to what I am yelling at you or you will never change your ways."

Once I left the church days behind, I was able to see a different way of life. I have changed a lot and I do not regret walking away from Christianity.

[Hindsite]

Not necessarily. I have had friends who preferred to draw or play with cars and trucks. I know I preferred cars and trucks. A lot of this depends on the girls' playmates and their parents.

Even thought their are exceptions, generally most boys have certain preferences that are different from most girls. The point is boys are not girls and we should not try to change that reality as some liberals try to do.

We do not have to understand everything. We do not have to understand how the earth came about. We just have to get along with each other.

This is about understanding the thinking of liberals in general. It is not about understanding everything. But how can we get along without understanding the differences in our views and where there is common ground that we can agree?

No one can alter reality.

I agree, That is the point.

You are over-generalizing. For some reason, you have an intense aversion to liberals. It makes one wonder why the liberals did to you.

The over-generalizing was to make the point as you stated it, "No one can alter reality." I am glad that you at least understand that.

You really sound preachy which I often see with the religious right when they get up on their pulpits and scold people for being arrogant sinners and for having sinful thoughts.

Once I left the church days behind, I was able to see a different way of life. I have changed a lot and I do not regret walking away from Christianity.[/quote]

Not necessarily. I have had friends who preferred to draw or play with cars and trucks. I know I preferred cars and trucks. A lot of this depends on the girls' playmates and their parents.

Even thought their are exceptions, generally most boys have certain preferences that are different from most girls. The point is boys are not girls and we should not try to change that reality as some liberals try to do.

We do not have to understand everything. We do not have to understand how the earth came about. We just have to get along with each other.

This is about understanding the thinking of liberals in general. It is not about understanding everything. But how can we get along without understanding the differences in our views and where there is common ground that we can agree?

No one can alter reality.

I agree, That is the point.

You are over-generalizing.

The over-generalizing was to make the point as you stated it, "No one can alter reality." I am glad that you at least understand that.

For some reason, you have an intense aversion to liberals. It makes one wonder why the liberals did to you.

It is not the liberals themselves. It is what I see as crazy views from some of them.

You really sound preachy which I often see with the religious right when they get up on their pulpits and scold people for being arrogant sinners and for having sinful thoughts.

Once I left the church days behind, I was able to see a different way of life. I have changed a lot and I do not regret walking away from Christianity.

At one point I tried that experiment myself. But I am glad I came to my senses and returned to Christ for salvation.

Praise the Lord.
HalleluYah

This is now five times that I've warned you against double posting. I've explained the reasoning, I've left examples. If you do this again you're getting suspended. I'm the one that comes in here and cleans up your mess and I'm really tired of spending an hour every morning doing it because you don't feel like following the rules.

-TIG

[Hong Wu]

Modern humans are both immeasurably stronger and immeasurably weaker than their Stone Age ancestors. Because of the progress of human civilisation, we are collectively much stronger than Stone Age societies ever were or ever could be; so much so that we are now changing the entire planet's climate, without even intending to. On the other hand, most individuals in our modern society don't even know how to start a fire with a couple of sticks, or how to plough a field, or how to construct a snare to catch a rabbit. Drop the average modern human into a Stone Age environment, and he would probably starve to death within a couple of weeks. But so what? All that matters is the collective strength of the human race; individuals are ephemeral and insignificant. Besides, we no longer live in a Stone Age environment; we have long ago changed that reality to one more to our liking.

I think I was unclear, so you probably didn't understand what I was trying to say. I believe that there is such a thing as internal strength and that, on average, has been decreasing steadily. Without internal strength, nothing is ever good enough and with it, you don't need a whole lot to be happy. At that point, things like "environmentalism" probably become easy, whereas many of our technical "improvements" are also what creates the need for environmentalism in the first place.

I wrote a thread expanding upon this idea in Political Circus, it was renamed to Leadership and Globalism because someone with mod powers doesn't have a sense of humor

[Hindsite]

I wrote a thread expanding upon this idea in Political Circus, it was renamed to Leadership and Globalism because someone with mod powers doesn't have a sense of humor

I have experience the same thing. Apparently the kind of humor we are presenting is not funny to them.

[Rugoz]

Funny how anti-science jerks always accuse others of "struggling against reality".

[NightShadows]

At times I think they do but at well often I think that many pass themselves off as "liberal" but don't really believe in the principles that it stands for. They use it mostly as a way to advance their own agenda's and use whatever best suits them to do so. I have a feeling there's not that many people who really believe in "equality" and "equal rights" "progress".

We will never understand liberals and progressives until we recognize that they often see reality as a social construct subject to being challenged and changed. For example, throughout the world, boys and girls have different toy preferences. Typically, boys like to play with cars and trucks, whereas girls prefer dolls. Liberals explain this with the assertion that boys and girls are socialized and encouraged to play with different types of toys by their parents, peers and "society."

Another reality issue that's extremely annoying to liberals and progressives is chromosomal sex determination. The XX/XY sex determination system is found in humans. Females have two of the same kind of sex chromosome (XX), whereas males have two distinct sex chromosomes (XY). This chromosomal reality is seen as limiting, annoying and an artifact of a patriarchal, chauvinistic society. So liberals and progressives want to change it. Say you are an XY (male) individual but would like to conduct your affairs in a facility designated for XX (female) individuals, such as a ladies' room. You can satisfy your desire by claiming that you are transgender -- that is, you've switched from one gender to another. Therefore, if one has XY chromosomes, he can behave as if he were an XXer. Plus, there is the expectation of being addressed according to one's chosen gender. The Minneapolis Police Department has a new rule that requires officers to address transgender people using their preferred names and pronouns. When an XYer is arrested but claims he is a woman, I wonder whether the police will place him in a cell with XXers. Just how far the Minneapolis authorities will go is in question; maybe they, too, believe that reality is optional.

Somehow liberals and progressives manage to cope with some realities but go ballistic with others. The reality that they go ballistic on is the reality that we are not all equally intelligent. There are many more male geniuses than female, and median male IQ is higher. Liberals might argue bias in the testing. Men are taller on average than women. If liberals don't like that, would they accuse the height-measuring device of being biased?

The lesson liberals need to learn is that despite their arrogance, they do not have the power to alter reality.

See this is one of the things I've been frustrated about. I've always naturally sort of leaned towards the left as I've never quite easily adhered to societal standards that are often taken as being "normal" and as well it's always been very apparent to me how how apparent class struggle is in our society or world and more or less you are supposed to just accept it as "nature" but, how do you define such things? conservatives often go on assumptions that what seems to be how things are for them, is not always so. I suppose I don't think common sense is always enough to really understand the world. Though, being savvy, street smart and such things as that do really have their virtues.

[MistyTiger]

Even thought their are exceptions, generally most boys have certain preferences that are different from most girls. The point is boys are not girls and we should not try to change that reality as some liberals try to do.

If the boys want to be like girls, why try to stop it?

I am left-handed. When I was little, one woman tried to get me to become a righty. She isolated me. She wanted to brand me as a bad child for favoring my left hand. Her attempts failed. Are you one of these sorts who would try to discourage a boy from playing with dolls or from wanting to wear makeup? Some of the best makeup artists are males. Some of the best clothing designers are men.

[Hindsite]

If the boys want to be like girls, why try to stop it?

I am left-handed. When I was little, one woman tried to get me to become a righty. She isolated me. She wanted to brand me as a bad child for favoring my left hand. Her attempts failed. Are you one of these sorts who would try to discourage a boy from playing with dolls or from wanting to wear makeup? Some of the best makeup artists are males. Some of the best clothing designers are men.

I did not say anything about stopping a boy from playing with dolls. I never wanted to wear makeup, but I do remember being fascinated with this doll that wet its diaper. There was a small baby bottle that came with it and you filled it up with water and stuck in the dolls mouth and waited a few minutes and it wet its diaper. But I got tired of it after awhile and went back to playing with cars and cap guns.

My wife told me at one time that a teacher of one my sons was having trouble getting him to write only with one hand, because he would start out on the left side of a page writing with his left hand and in the middle of the page he would switch the pencil to the right hand and finish the line and keep up that process of going back and forth between hands for the whole page. She wanted to force him to just right with one hand and asked my wife if he was left or right handed. She told the teacher she did not know. We never did find out if he was left handed or right handed. My wife is left handed and I am right handed. I wonder if that had anything to do with it.

[MistyTiger]

I did not say anything about stopping a boy from playing with dolls. I never wanted to wear makeup, but I do remember being fascinated with this doll that wet its diaper. There was a small baby bottle that came with it and you filled it up with water and stuck in the dolls mouth and waited a few minutes and it wet its diaper. But I got tired of it after awhile and went back to playing with cars and cap guns.

My wife told me at one time that a teacher of one my sons was having trouble getting him to write only with one hand, because he would start out on the left side of a page writing with his left hand and in the middle of the page he would switch the pencil to the right hand and finish the line and keep up that process of going back and forth between hands for the whole page. She wanted to force him to just right with one hand and asked my wife if he was left or right handed. She told the teacher she did not know. We never did find out if he was left handed or right handed. My wife is left handed and I am right handed. I wonder if that had anything
to do with it.

I remember that doll. I only saw a commercial for it.

Interesting writing behavior. My dad is a righty and my mom was born a lefty. I write with the left, but I can write with the right if my left hand is holding an apple. I throw best with the right, actually I do most things with my right hand except for writing and holding chopsticks. They say that lefties are ambidextrous. I think it is fascinating.

[Hindsite]

I remember that doll. I only saw a commercial for it.

Interesting writing behavior. My dad is a righty and my mom was born a lefty. I write with the left, but I can write with the right if my left hand is holding an apple. I throw best with the right, actually I do most things with my right hand except for writing and holding chopsticks. They say that lefties are ambidextrous. I think it is fascinating.

Now that I think about it, I eat with a spoon or fork with my right hand and use the knife to cut my steaks with my left hand.
Most people switch hands so they cut with the right hand, if they are right handed. I guess i reason that it is easier to just keep the fork in the right hand and pick up the knife and cut it with the left hand. My wife brought that to my attention one day.

I guess my son thought it was better to keep the paper turned straight in front of him and just switch hands while writing.

[ingliz]

I eat with a spoon or fork with my right hand and use the knife to cut my steaks with my left hand. Most people switch hands so they cut with the right hand

The fork is held in the left hand, the knife in the right to cut food and to help carry food to the fork. The fork is held, tines down, and the knife used to move food onto the fork or support food so the fork can pick it up. There is no shifting of cutlery.

[Rugoz]

Some of the best makeup artists are males. Some of the best clothing designers are men.

Well there were certainly times when they were "allowed" to wear it.