Folks have a bunch of petty esthetic whims. There's really nothing wrong with that. But whims can either be wrong in their source or application. Below, I will use the colloquialism "your heart" to mean "your feelings."
If having feelings was wrong, then only futuristic, calculating robots -- and other things that don't feel -- could ever be "right." It follows that having feelings isn't wrong.
The issue, still, is that "your heart" (your feelings) can be wrong. Notice, this is different from having a heart, or from it being wrong to have a heart. Instead, it's when your heart is in the wrong place.
How do you know when your heart's in the wrong place?
Notice that the question didn't ask how you can feel that your heart is in the wrong place. That's because, if your heart's in the wrong place, you won't feel it (because of the self-justicatory nature of feelings). As it turns out, when your heart is wrong, it's not something that your heart did -- it's what your mind didn't do. Wrong thoughts -- or flat out evasions -- can lead you to having wrong feelings.
A gal called up NPR today to ask about appropriations in the Obama Porkulus Bill (I think she called it a "stimulus" bill or something -- but that would be an inaccurate name for it). She was concerned about appropriations. She mentioned that an awful lot of foreclosures might occur and how forelosed-on folks leave their pets behind. She wanted to know if and how much appropriations were in this "stimulus" bill to rescue these animals.
Wow.
This got me thinking about all the things which I would "like" to see paid for by this "stimulus" bill.
Certainly, having less people in homes means more people on the streets -- and stray cats and dogs may be eaten (this actually happens in East St. Louis). Something should be done about that (with other peoples' money). The reason that something should be done about that is because I'd feel better.
Also, having more people on the streets means more bugs -- like ants and beetles -- will be stepped on and killed. Something should be done about that (with other peoples' money). The reason that something should be done about that is because I'd feel better.
The list is endless, because -- in folks like this woman -- there are no limits on their feelings, or on imposing their feelings onto others via government spending. It's rationality that imposes limits on our feelings and makes some feelings right and some feelings wrong. It's thinking that's required in order to get into the position to have right feelings. If you don't think well, you'll have wrong feelings.
A socialist friend of mine says: "I want to live in a world where ..." in order to justify his positions. Pay attention to that: "It's right because I want it" "And you're wrong because you don't." "You're wrong because you don't feel like me."
That is the unenlightened thinking of a three year-old tyrant.
Ed
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