[at-l] Re: Beating that dead horse

[spiriteagle99@hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

rafe wrote:
>Don't mind if I beat the horse just a bit more <g>.

Rafe -
I suspect this may fall under Dead Horse Strategy #3 - Saying "This is the 
way we always have ridden this horse."

Or maybe it's Strategy #12 - Harnessing several dead horses together for 
increased speed.

Either way - beat on - it's a great stress reliever  :-)))


>I am refering to your somewhat unconventional use
>of the word "prejudice."

I wasn't aware that it was unconventional.  From my viewpoint, any 
attitude/action that satisfies the definition would qualify as prejudice.  
Remember the definition - "PREJUDICE, strictly defined, a preformed and 
unsubstantiated judgment or opinion about an individual or a group,..."


>To use this word to describe my attitude toward anyone
>that I've ever disagreed with, or had a gripe or quarrel
>with, just isn't right, IMHO.

Didn't say that, did I?  Beliefs based on personal preference and/or what 
you believe to be the best available information might not really qualify - 
but beliefs based only personal preference without any basis in fact most 
certainly do.

In the case in question, I would ask - have you talked to a Trail "runner" 
about what he/she does, about how they feel about it and about the Trail, 
about what they get out of it and/or about the problems/challenges involved 
in their way of doing it?  Has anyone who came down as being judgmental 
about the runners actually done that?  I'm not hearing any volunteers here.  
So what it means is that all (or at least most of) that judgmentalism is 
nothing more than unfounded (unsubstantiated) judgment or opinion.  Also 
called ----- prejudice.

Hey - we ALL have our prejudices.  The next question is - do you know what 
yours are?  But that's a generic question, rafe - not specifically aimed at 
you.

Just for drill - I have talked to a Trail runner - actually several of them. 
  It was an enlightening experience.  I've also been on the receiving end of 
the same kind of criticisms as appeared on the list re the runners.  You DO 
understand, don't you, that there are people who believe that anyone who 
walks 20 miles per day can't possibly be "seeing" what they're walking past 
- that they can't possibly be having a "wilderness experience"  and can't 
possibly "enjoy" their hike?


>Cripes, that would leave me
>"prejudiced" against half the folks I've ever met.

Could be - most other folks are - so why should you be different?  To quote 
the American philosopher William James: "Most folks believe they're 
thinking, when all they're doing is rearranging their prejudices."


>"I'm a liberal, but to a degree.
>But if you think I'm going to let Barry Goldwater
>move in next door and marry my daughter --
>You must think I'm crazy."
>
>  -- bob dylan

S'OK - I wouldn't be too enchanted by that marriage idea either.  But the 
"not let him move in next door"?  There are people who call that 
discrimination :-)))

Walk softly,
Jim



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