http://www.stormtiger.com/collie/bestiary/2010/03/why-not-logic-2-of-3/ Another mythologizing animal sharing a spark of intellectual passion! Sat, 28 Jan 2012 04:23:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.stormtiger.com/collie/bestiary/2010/03/why-not-logic-2-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-24692 Jonathan Mon, 05 Apr 2010 06:04:40 +0000 http://www.stormtiger.com/collie/bestiary/?p=1566#comment-24692 I think this actually harkens back to your 'Why do women like bad boys,' or a title to that effect, essay. In our society, self-confidence is seen as a virtue even greater than recognition of competence on one's self. Admitting an inability to do something is seen as a weakness; being able to project supreme self-confidence is a positive quality, even if -- perhaps *especially* if -- there is no basis for that self-confidence. Keep in mind, too, that this is the society that tacitly approves of arrogance, where we give the nod to people who have aggressive pride. We laud the clinically yet functionally sociopathic in our system and let them get away with, virtually and literally, murder... so long as they swagger with confidence and arrogance. Humility and compassion and empathy are denigrated as weaknesses and undesirable. I think this actually harkens back to your 'Why do women like bad boys,' or a title to that effect, essay. In our society, self-confidence is seen as a virtue even greater than recognition of competence on one's self. Admitting an inability to do something is seen as a weakness; being able to project supreme self-confidence is a positive quality, even if — perhaps *especially* if — there is no basis for that self-confidence. Keep in mind, too, that this is the society that tacitly approves of arrogance, where we give the nod to people who have aggressive pride. We laud the clinically yet functionally sociopathic in our system and let them get away with, virtually and literally, murder… so long as they swagger with confidence and arrogance. Humility and compassion and empathy are denigrated as weaknesses and undesirable.

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