Re: "Biases in A SOCIOLOGY OF THE ABSURD
Stanford M. Lyman (slyman@gate.net)
Fri, 8 Mar 1996 15:42:49 -0500
At 12:05 AM 3/6/96 -0600, you wrote:
>
> I think that I get the general gist of what Dr. Lyman is trying
>to say, and please feel free to correct me if I am wrong. I believe that
>his point (on a very general scale) encompasses the danger of forgetting
>the past. It seems as if America in all it's media technology has a
>problem with historical amnesia. We tend to forget what the past has
>taught us until it happens again, or if it possibly fades completely
>from memory. It seems to me that Dr. Lyman's point about the "offensive
>material" is based not around "open mindedness" but around what is and
>has been a part of society. I agree in that continuing to write
>potentially offensive material keeps the many perspectives of society
>present in the minds of all of us. Keeping the past in clear view could
>possibly help us to open all of our minds. What is offensive to one
>could be the perspective of another, and how would we know that if we
>were not faced with the entire picture? As for reducing open mindedness, it
>seems to me that if one reader is outraged by the language, that is
>increasing open mindedness. As shown in the past situation, Lyndsay at
>least sparked discussion of our class which at the most basic level made us
>all think. This in my opinion is invoking open mindedness. We were all trying
>to figure out why the language was writen as such. Maybe I am off base,
>who knows.
> As for Dr. Lyman's comment about First Amendment Rights, I would
>argue that these rights are valid and I hope that you continue to write
>thought provoking work, yet there is a break down in these First
>Amendment Rights when you begin to infringe upon the rights of other
>individuals. Please do not get me wrong, I do not believe that you have
>maliciously done so, however the language that was used could be
>offensive. Yet in the same breath I will argue that if the reading
>becomes offensive these persons should stop. Just as Jon has pointed out,
>isn't that what the delete key is for? Again, this is just my feeble
>attempt to shed some insight. Comments anyone?
>
>Chrissy :)
>
>"Every journey in to darkness leads to a tunnel of hope..."
>
> - My So Called Life
>
> Thanks for your comment. However, I must point out that I do not know
what in my analysis of the homosexual adventure (for remember, that is what
the essay is about--adventures) is offensive. The sentences quoted by the
offended party do not contain anything in them that is offensive--unless
learning about some aspects of homosexual life under oppression is offensive
per se. If the latter is the case, then I recommend that the offended party
make sure never to read any sociology! For one thing one will learn about
in sociology is the real truth--ugly and "offensive" as it might be.
One other point: "Offensive speech and writing" is protected by the
First Amendment. If it were not, we would be reduced to reading and hearing
fatuous saccharine platitudes!-------Stanford M. Lyman
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