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That's too harsh. Vivien Send a noteboard - 06/01/2012 07:29:05 PM
When a person is so rude to break that social contract, it is no longer necessary to be civil to them. Furthermore treating that person who broke the social contract the same as everyone else means you don't recolonize the importance of civility, you do not recognize virtue.


When we're not civil, we're letting go of our own civility. Two wrongs don't make a right. However in practice, it's tough to figure out the appropriate coarse of action. If you treat the other person well while you're being treated badly it could be seen as acceptance. So the only solution is not to interact with that person at all, to the extent that it's possible.

And then there's practicality. Just the other day some man called me rude because apparently he said hello to me and I did not notice, let alone respond- I only noticed when he started yelling at me. Sorry, I am under no obligation to be friendly. However, I suppose that in theory it does seem rude- I mean a person gives me a friendly greeting to me and I completely ignore him. So, technically uncivil but perfectly acceptable once you take into account the environment. The fact that he started yelling at me is reason enough not to feel bad about ignoring stuff like that in the first place.

But wait- according to your social contract theory, I was uncivil to this man by not greeting him back, so he was perfectly within his rights to be uncivil to me by yelling at me?
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Santorum is #2 in Iowa - 04/01/2012 01:24:13 PM 1747 Views
would you stop using that word? It is gross. *NM* - 04/01/2012 01:48:45 PM 572 Views
What's your word for it? *NM* - 04/01/2012 03:43:44 PM 523 Views
Rövsmör. *NM* - 04/01/2012 09:50:21 PM 521 Views
Den var ny för mig. - 06/01/2012 12:12:07 AM 684 Views
yeah that it so funny - 04/01/2012 03:05:59 PM 933 Views
he kind of brought it on himself by being so decidedly anti-gay that it pissed lots of people off - 04/01/2012 04:36:39 PM 974 Views
maybe the gays brought all the gay bashing on themselves - 05/01/2012 03:18:15 PM 1173 Views
Civility is a social contract - 05/01/2012 04:39:46 PM 941 Views
so now that the gays have broken that contract they are fair game? - 05/01/2012 06:37:52 PM 691 Views
Question have you read the Santorum interview? *NM* - 05/01/2012 06:50:24 PM 486 Views
no I try to avoid him - 06/01/2012 06:17:45 PM 795 Views
That's too harsh. - 06/01/2012 07:29:05 PM 909 Views
While language changes with time - 07/01/2012 04:13:28 AM 929 Views
I have to agree. Reluctantly. - 04/01/2012 06:19:13 PM 978 Views
Actually, your response was expected - 04/01/2012 10:08:33 PM 1028 Views
don't forget.... - 05/01/2012 02:27:49 AM 923 Views
do you still pretend that it isn't political? - 05/01/2012 03:14:25 PM 868 Views
I'm sorry - 05/01/2012 03:52:57 PM 972 Views
funny how it always woks out that way - 05/01/2012 06:44:55 PM 774 Views
Believe what you will, but my wok skills are poor - 05/01/2012 07:32:17 PM 936 Views
You should ask one of the gays to help you. I hear the gays are good at cooking. *NM* - 06/01/2012 01:54:21 AM 613 Views
Queer stove eye for the straight guy? - 06/01/2012 09:05:48 PM 844 Views
try using more heat and better oil *NM* - 06/01/2012 06:18:19 PM 501 Views
Corn oil? - 06/01/2012 09:05:09 PM 794 Views
Peanut *NM* - 06/01/2012 11:27:49 PM 531 Views
Santorum is a man who believes you must compare homosexual love to bestiality and pedophilia - 05/01/2012 04:42:26 AM 944 Views
and Savage is a Man who believes that vulgar personal attacks - 05/01/2012 03:12:42 PM 1091 Views
Why should a person tolerate intolerance? (Serious question.) *NM* - 05/01/2012 08:46:05 PM 645 Views
The question boils down to why should someone tolerate what they think is wrong. - 05/01/2012 10:53:40 PM 905 Views
and when santorum tells you that your lifestyle is worse than pedophilia and bestiality? - 06/01/2012 03:34:52 AM 860 Views
To be fair... - 06/01/2012 05:32:31 AM 1004 Views
You are correct - 06/01/2012 01:21:18 PM 1058 Views
Then it seems like it's a problem of definitions more than anything else. - 06/01/2012 09:48:49 PM 964 Views
Following the logic to its bitter end. Why do I do this to myself??? - 06/01/2012 10:14:01 PM 1030 Views
Santourm is - 07/01/2012 04:24:45 AM 980 Views
I'm fairly sure your theory is wrong. - 06/01/2012 10:42:14 PM 1031 Views
so Obama offended me by attending a racist America hating church - 06/01/2012 05:32:14 PM 882 Views
Those are really not equivalent. - 06/01/2012 04:18:37 PM 822 Views
Re: Those are really not equivalent. - 06/01/2012 10:27:11 PM 952 Views
This. - 07/01/2012 01:35:43 PM 844 Views
I agree, lets shoot anyone who doesn't think like you *NM* - 06/01/2012 05:17:41 PM 501 Views
I'm really conflicted about the whole Santorum thing. - 06/01/2012 07:42:02 PM 905 Views
I find myself agreeing with you recently - 06/01/2012 08:38:37 PM 939 Views
dude, gross! *NM* - 04/01/2012 04:39:34 PM 509 Views
Dear Iowa, - 04/01/2012 08:04:09 PM 943 Views
So at this point, most of the candidates had a moment at the top. Kind of awesome. - 05/01/2012 11:22:50 PM 932 Views
that is why Perry is staying in the race - 06/01/2012 06:20:54 PM 900 Views
It would be the joke of the year if Huntsman got a turn. - 06/01/2012 10:59:36 PM 852 Views
Is he a bigger long shot than Santorum, though? Gingrich? Bachman? CAIN!? - 07/01/2012 01:34:47 AM 950 Views
Yes, for the reason you state. - 07/01/2012 03:04:39 PM 910 Views
I really do not agree. - 09/01/2012 08:51:46 PM 943 Views
he is moving up in New Hampshire - 10/01/2012 05:16:14 PM 1036 Views
More like everyone has had a moment running second to Romney. - 07/01/2012 01:59:25 PM 842 Views
It's not a foregone conclusion yet. - 07/01/2012 04:03:51 PM 952 Views
give up the hope it is nothing more than a pipe dream - 09/01/2012 02:57:03 PM 963 Views
All of the republican candidates are pipe dreams. - 09/01/2012 08:56:57 PM 763 Views
I find Ron Paul absolutely infuriating. - 09/01/2012 10:44:09 PM 1026 Views
Weed is kinda important - 10/01/2012 03:31:00 PM 805 Views
So is women's health. About 50% of US. *NM* - 13/01/2012 01:46:15 AM 551 Views
Um... - 10/01/2012 03:54:53 PM 859 Views
is an ass - 10/01/2012 05:10:09 PM 994 Views
I would like to see that enforced. - 10/01/2012 05:39:22 PM 1338 Views
So segregation when done by private businesses is ok? - 11/01/2012 02:20:32 PM 1039 Views
Define "OK." - 11/01/2012 08:29:09 PM 919 Views
Paul is an equal opportunity infuriator, to borrow Vivien's word. - 09/01/2012 10:56:57 PM 923 Views
I agree with you completely. - 10/01/2012 12:06:19 PM 946 Views
while I, of course, disagree with your conclusion. - 10/01/2012 02:21:46 PM 1376 Views
Re: while I, of course, disagree with your conclusion. - 10/01/2012 07:38:39 PM 938 Views
Ron Paul's biggest problem is isn't a republican - 10/01/2012 04:18:16 PM 945 Views

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