undefined | Better HN

0 pointsthriftwy8y ago0 comments

In general, when somebody asks for your obedience and you comply, they proceed with adding conditions.

First it's "no outright porn" then "no naming of private parts" then "no blurring of line between good and evil".

You can imagine their conditions as an area, and your meaningful life as an area, and the Venn diagram of those two stops intersecting. You can't write "Crime and Punishment" without blurring line between good and evil. You can't write about any problems you are having. So now you are writing something banal, bland and unconvincing (as most of communist art is)

0 comments

Ajedi328y ago

If you're talking about "obedience" in general though, then some equally valid examples of rules someone might ask you to obey would include "don't murder people" and "don't do drugs". "Obedience" is far too broad of a term for you to characterize it as outright good or bad entirely.

thriftwyOP8y ago

Following laws is not "obedience", as long as laws are reasonably consistent and universally enforced.

Also, "don't do drugs" is not usually a law, unless in repressive jurisdictions. You can't sell drugs and perhaps possess large quantities, but you can do drugs as an adult making choices.

Ajedi328y ago

Perhaps you could clarify what you mean when you say "obedience" then, because it seems to me that you and I have very different definitions of what that is.

Google defines obedience as:

> compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority

So going by that definition, following the law is indeed "obedience". Similarly, complying with a court order would also be "obedience", as would pulling over to the side of the road when a police officer drives behind you with their lights and siren on, or listening to a lifeguard at a pool when they tell everyone to get out of the water.

In fact, if we're going by the dictionary definition of obedience, I would argue that obedience is necessary for the very existence of civilized society.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointsthriftwy8y ago0 comments

In general, when somebody asks for your obedience and you comply, they proceed with adding conditions.

First it's "no outright porn" then "no naming of private parts" then "no blurring of line between good and evil".

0 comments

Ajedi328y ago

thriftwyOP8y ago

Following laws is not "obedience", as long as laws are reasonably consistent and universally enforced.

Also, "don't do drugs" is not usually a law, unless in repressive jurisdictions. You can't sell drugs and perhaps possess large quantities, but you can do drugs as an adult making choices.

Ajedi328y ago

Perhaps you could clarify what you mean when you say "obedience" then, because it seems to me that you and I have very different definitions of what that is.

Google defines obedience as:

> compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority

In fact, if we're going by the dictionary definition of obedience, I would argue that obedience is necessary for the very existence of civilized society.

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse