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iamnotaparakeet
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12 Feb 2011, 5:21 pm

The word pretext is an interesting word. It comes from two words meaning "to weave before" literally and more figuratively to cloak or disguise. A pretext is, essentially, an excuse to do something otherwise horrible. Basically, it is an artificial justification invented to allow for misbehavior.



AlSwearengen
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13 Feb 2011, 10:32 am

iamnotaparakeet wrote:
The word pretext is an interesting word. It comes from two words meaning "to weave before" literally and more figuratively to cloak or disguise. A pretext is, essentially, an excuse to do something otherwise horrible. Basically, it is an artificial justification invented to allow for misbehavior.


Well as for the rest of the posts in this I am at a loss but as you have commented here on the "Politics, Philosophy, and Religion" forum I will say that Religion and Politics are perhaps the worse two examples of where pretext is used to cloak or disguise bad intent.
Much ill has been done in the name of politics and religion in the name of good intent and by people purporting moral judgments.
The wars that have been fought, the crusades, ugh.... you get the picture.

Is that kind of what you are talking about? A righteous politician and a righteous zealot are two examples of where morality takes a back seat to a conviction that transcends reasonableness and decency.



leejosepho
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13 Feb 2011, 12:12 pm

AlSwearengen wrote:
iamnotaparakeet wrote:
The word pretext is an interesting word. It comes from two words meaning "to weave before" literally and more figuratively to cloak or disguise. A pretext is, essentially, an excuse to do something otherwise horrible. Basically, it is an artificial justification invented to allow for misbehavior.


Well as for the rest of the posts in this I am at a loss but as you have commented here on the "Politics, Philosophy, and Religion" forum I will say that Religion and Politics are perhaps the worse two examples of where pretext is used to cloak or disguise bad intent.
Much ill has been done in the name of politics and religion in the name of good intent and by people purporting moral judgments.
The wars that have been fought, the crusades, ugh.... you get the picture.

Is that kind of what you are talking about? A righteous politician and a righteous zealot are two examples of where morality takes a back seat to a conviction that transcends reasonableness and decency.

I certainly cannot speak for 'keet, but yes, I would say you understand.


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Philologos
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13 Feb 2011, 12:26 pm

We were just talking about that here last night, Number 1 Son making a cameo appearance.

There is no end that justifies "the end justifies the means." But it stalks the land and thw webways.



Natty_Boh
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13 Feb 2011, 1:55 pm

leejosepho wrote:
NobelCynic wrote:
iamnotaparakeet wrote:
It is basically like that ZOMGapsies group which did all the forum trolling a few years back after their founder got banned from WP?

Actually there were two founders, one of which was under 18 which is why ZMOG was created. Much of their membership was banned from here and they had a secret forum (called the shoe forum) to organize sock puppets to come over here to troll. They might have taken the idea over to I2 when ZMOG collapsed. I woulldn't know.

I am not up-to-speed as to any related history here, but I do have much experience with making honest efforts to accommodate displaced people looking for fellowship within a realm they have yet to fully understand or embrace.


Fair, but it would seem this group is not displaced in the slightest - instead simply beckoned on over to WP to troll the forum.


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leejosepho
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13 Feb 2011, 2:09 pm

Natty_Boh wrote:
leejosepho wrote:
NobelCynic wrote:
iamnotaparakeet wrote:
It is basically like that ZOMGapsies group which did all the forum trolling a few years back after their founder got banned from WP?

Actually there were two founders, one of which was under 18 which is why ZMOG was created. Much of their membership was banned from here and they had a secret forum (called the shoe forum) to organize sock puppets to come over here to troll. They might have taken the idea over to I2 when ZMOG collapsed. I woulldn't know.

I am not up-to-speed as to any related history here, but I do have much experience with making honest efforts to accommodate displaced people looking for fellowship within a realm they have yet to fully understand or embrace.


Fair, but it would seem this group is not displaced in the slightest - instead simply beckoned on over to WP to troll the forum.

Obvious trolls, sockpuppets and other troublemakers will always eventually be banned from here, but maybe some nut like me can help salvage one or two along the way ....?!

Gotta have some reason to get up each and every morning yet available!


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Natty_Boh
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13 Feb 2011, 2:23 pm

leejosepho wrote:
Natty_Boh wrote:
leejosepho wrote:
NobelCynic wrote:
iamnotaparakeet wrote:
It is basically like that ZOMGapsies group which did all the forum trolling a few years back after their founder got banned from WP?

Actually there were two founders, one of which was under 18 which is why ZMOG was created. Much of their membership was banned from here and they had a secret forum (called the shoe forum) to organize sock puppets to come over here to troll. They might have taken the idea over to I2 when ZMOG collapsed. I woulldn't know.

I am not up-to-speed as to any related history here, but I do have much experience with making honest efforts to accommodate displaced people looking for fellowship within a realm they have yet to fully understand or embrace.


Fair, but it would seem this group is not displaced in the slightest - instead simply beckoned on over to WP to troll the forum.

Obvious trolls, sockpuppets and other troublemakers will always eventually be banned from here, but maybe some nut like me can help salvage one or two along the way ....?!

Gotta have some reason to get up each and every morning yet available!


Hey, if you need coffee... ;)


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For men are homesick in their homes,
And strangers under the sun,
And they lay their heads in a foreign land
Whenever the day is done."