[Elfsea] 'Young Ones'

Timothy Rayburn timothy at elfsea.net
Wed Oct 30 11:38:43 PST 2002


>You need to stop striking down old ideas and opinions because they come from
>the older players. Elfsea need the new players but they also need the older
>ones too and if you keep trying to run us off the ones left are going to
>really give you a race. I am here and I am will staying. Just like some of
>the others that are still here. We are here for our group to  help and build
>any way we can. That means working together with thought and reason.

I could not possibly agree with the above statement more.  Both experience of times past and new ideas are necessary.  Without both we are shooting ourselves in the foot.

But for these to mesh we must work within certain ground rules.  These ground rules must be the same for all arguements, pro or con regarding any point.  We should be open to discuss anything, we should be willing to hear the other side and engage in several rounds of back-and-forth regarding idea.  We should remember that any debate is usually not for the purpose of swaying the debaters, but to sway and inform those listening to the debate.

I do not hold anyone's experience in this group in low esteem.  It is however my nature to wish to discern if any idea is still worth while.  I appreciate the power of tradition, and that it is our traditions which define us.  But it is also traditions which can be the death of any group.  If traditions are not challenged from time to time to discern their merits, then they can migrate from a good idea, to a neutral idea, and eventually to a bad idea.  Not all migrate in such a way, but many do.

I would also stress, especially to my friends Donnel and Innes, that I appreciate people standing up for such traditions.  The purpose of this was to discover how people feel within this group.  I would ask that you realize that while I've no doubt where you stand on these issues, we can differ on points.  When we discuss such differences openly, such as on this list, we educate all those around and encourage them to form opinions of their own.  I do not expect to change your minds.

It has been said of me in the past that I often ask someone's opinion and then 'argue' that opnion.  I happily admit to this, because opinion alone is not a reason to come to a judgement.  When I engage in this activity it is because I wish to discern from WHAT you believe the WHY of the belief.  I seek to learn WHY so that I can justly compare it with the WHY of the what I believe.  Merely comparing opinions gains nothing, comparing reasons on the other hand can yield much.

I know that many people feel passionately about WHAT they believe, as often I do also.  When this is the case, discovering WHY they believe can be even more emotional.  Going beyound that to my true goal, of comparing your reason WHY with my reason WHY can sometimes be explosive.  It intrinsically means contrasting core philosophies, usually only for the benefit of the spectator as the those involved are usually stalwart advocates of their opinion.  Let us all realize that such education is vital, lest we become driven by traditions that no one understands, or blown adrift by ever new wind that blows.


In remain,

Timothy




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