Perceptual violence

--- In spacesettlers@y..., "Andy Nimmo" wrote:
> Hi Arlin,
>
> You believe you know more about psychology than any psychologist

No, I don't. I'm not even sure psychology is a science.

>and I believe you don't know what you are talking about!

I do.

> Mental adaptation is available for some healthy folk, but we are
>talking about a settlement for all sorts of folk.

*You* are. I'm talking about a settlement *only* for people
who *can* adapt to leaving Earth.
>Many of those might not have the adaptation you speak of.

Their choice. They can stay home.

> Difficulty-of-slope is NOT just an interpretation, if you are
>forced to have it,

No-one's forced, and very few will choose, to leave Earth.

>...an inevitable dichotomy that would grow with time.

Those who can't adapt will return to Earth. Those who even
*think* they can't aren't likely to leave in the first place.

>If you cannot understand that I cannot help you even if you pay me a
>fortune, as I am not a psychiatrist.

If I had a billion dollars, my starship would be half built already!

> Colorblindness is irrelevant, as it is something not affected by
>any proposed scenario for space settlement. Nobody is going to be
>forced to be colourblind!

Colorblindness is *not* a choice, unlike where one lives.

> You don't seem to appreciate that I am talking about a limited
>number of people living in a confined space for a long time.

For a spaceship to be large enough to be regenerative, it
must be *very* large. I am not a bit afraid of living
under such conditions--only that I may not have the chance!

>...- and even here we do have this nonsense of folk blowing up
>perfectly innocent people on the World Trade Centre towers, and us
>now bombing Afghanistan. You say "Perceptual differences do not
>cause violence" Uh! How on Earth do you think this whole business
>got under way if it wasn't for perceptual differences?

If Osama *only* perceived incorrectly, we would be fine;
it's his moral deficiencies that are the problem:

> You say, "It requires a *moral* dichotomy to create a viewpoint so
>strong it cannot be discussed reasonably. Anyone who thinks human
>life is worthless unless it serves one particular view of God should
>be forced into the nearest airlock." On this one I pass, as God is
>not my business,

Nor mine. Osama thinks it *IS* his business!

> ...some shapes are unhealthy for psychological reasons - that is my
>whole point!

So Osama bombed us because he saw a shape he couldn't handle?

If you don't like a view, rest your eyes elsewhere--adapt!!

Yours, Arlin