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Barbara Walters

Motokid said:
The only problem I have with this thread is the word "Hiroshima" in your last post....but if I tread into that territory this thread will be locked on political grounds....
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I learned of Derrida's quote from a book on forgiveness, by a former Archbishop of Canterbury, which had a mushroom cloud on the cover, and in in the preface quoted Derrida, regarding forgiveness.

Well, I shall certainly think twice about anything I post, knowing how people feel about me.

I did think I had something unique to offer, something different, something interesting. Anyone who valued such things would be glad to have me around, and would make mountains into molehills, rather than make molehills into mountains.

We always have 20/20 hindsight. If I knew what this mornings post would lead to, I would not have posted. If I knew what the Michael Moore email would lead to I would never have posted.

Experience is the best teacher: the burnt child fears the fire.

Experience is the fools teacher. The wise man needs it not.
 
I wasn't offended by the "joke". What is offending me is how it's been blown out of proportion. For crying out loud, how did we get from a rather tasteless joke to a philosophical discussion on forgiveness??
 
Sitaram said:
Derrida once said that "forgiveness, if it happens at all, comes in the face of the unforgivable." What Derrida ment, was forgiveness for things like Hiroshima and the Holocaust.
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I got the impression, from your post, that Derrida said this: "forgiveness, if it happens at all, comes in the face of the unforgivable."

And Sitaram simplified/translated/paraphrased it to mean this: What Derrida ment, was forgiveness for things like Hiroshima and the Holocaust.

I would never equate the Holocaust, and Hiroshima as the same type of "forgivable" human action.
 
Miss Shelf said:
I wasn't offended by the "joke". What is offending me is how it's been blown out of proportion. For crying out loud, how did we get from a rather tasteless joke to a philosophical discussion on forgiveness??
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It seems to be in fashion to be easily offended.
 
Sitaram said:
Well, I shall certainly think twice about anything I post, knowing how people feel about me.

I did think I had something unique to offer, something different, something interesting. Anyone who valued such things would be glad to have me around, and would make mountains into molehills, rather than make molehills into mountains.

.
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I totally don't get what you're offended about. I also don't understand why a post entitled Barbara Walters would imply that BW is dead. :confused: I agree with Miss Shelf--where's the beef? It really was just an unfunny joke.

Now, to the real subject, is the pope joke the one with St. Peter in it?
 
Motokid said:
I got the impression, from your post, that Derrida said this: "forgiveness, if it happens at all, comes in the face of the unforgivable."

And Sitaram simplified/translated/paraphrased it to mean this: What Derrida ment, was forgiveness for things like Hiroshima and the Holocaust.

I would never equate the Holocaust, and Hiroshima as the same type of "forgivable" human action.
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The entire book, which I have at home, by a former archebishop of Canterbury, which presents us on the title page with Derrida's quotation, has on its cover a photo of an atomic bomb mushroom. It then proceeds to discuss forgiveness in the context of seemingly unforgivable things like genocide.

If you steal my chewing gum, and I forgive you, what sort of forgiveness is that? Forgiveness only assumes a stature of extraordinary proportions when forgiving what would be considered unforgivable.

Which raises the fascination question, is their ANYTHING which is unforgivable (other than my poorly labeled post on Barbara Walters, made in haste).
 
Sitaram said:
If you steal my chewing gum, and I forgive you, what sort of forgiveness is that? Forgiveness only assumes a stature of extraordinary proportions when forgiving what would be considered unforgivable.
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That's a matter of opinion. There are people I have never forgiven for something as trivial as not sending me a promised letter, something that shouldn't appear unforgivable to anyone. Forgiveness, when it is heartfelt, is extraordinary no matter the severity of the forgiven deed. Like you cannot measure 'terrible' in defined degrees and categories you cannot measure forgiveness in more or less extraordinary degrees. Either it is sincere or it is not, just like an apology can be sincere or not. They don't come in degrees.

Which raises the fascination question, is their ANYTHING which is unforgivable (other than my poorly labeled post on Barbara Walters, made in haste).
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No. Overall, there's nothing that is unforgivable, there will always be someone, somewhere who will be willing to forgive - of that I'm certain. To me alone certain things might be unforgivable, but someone else would surely forgive them.
 
Tonight, I will find that book on my self, and post the ISBN number and the name of the author, and perhaps you can read it, and consider these questions. I wish I knew how to solve the worlds problems, but I do not. I cant even seem to find a literary forum where I am accepted. That shows how smart I am.
 
Sitaram said:
Tonigt, I will find that book on my self, and post the ISBN number and the name of the author, and perhaps you can read it, and consider these questions. I wish I knew how to solve the worlds problems, but I do not. I cant even seem to find a literary forum where I am accepted. That shows how smart I am.
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ahhhhh...lighten up....grow some skin....you haven't been thrashed about anywhere near as harshly as others here have....
 
Sitaram said:
Tonigt, I will find that book on my self, and post the ISBN number and the name of the author, and perhaps you can read it, and consider these questions. I wish I knew how to solve the worlds problems, but I do not. I cant even seem to find a literary forum where I am accepted. That shows how smart I am.
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Geez, you're accepted here, Sitty. Being in a family isn't all about the hugs, it's also about the noogies.
 
Motokid: If you have some genuine interest, I will find that book and email you some excerpts, and we may discuss via email. Forum rules would not sit well with discussing such a book and such a topic. But I am certainly willing if there is some sincere interest. That is, if you can stand my pedantry, hiding behind my defensive intellectual facade, the one-way nature of the conversation (and, by the way, I somewhat resemble a turkey.)
 
I have discovered that the e-mail feature in the profiles works. I have enabled mine. Anyone who has a sincere interest in discussing something regarding religion or politics seriously and in depth (topics that might not fit in with forum rules) is welcome to email me. I will do my best to accomodate.
 
Hmmm. Maybe this thread should be split up into:

--a thread about the nature of forgiveness.
--a jokes thread
--a thread about the structure and cultural context of jokes
--a thread outlining all past recriminations
--a thread about the politics of Jacques Derrida
etc.

Is there a joke involving Derrida and land mines?

Well, this is kinda obvious, but they're both deconstructionists. :)

Okay, how's this: what's the difference between Derrida and a deep-fried turkey?

Ans:
Derrida is French. hahahaha
 
Here in NY, Festivus, the 'holiday' created by Jerry Seinfeld in one memorable episode, sounds like the appropriate venue for all past recriminations :D
 
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