Elantra, I am somewhat disappointed that you have chosen to interpret things as you have.
There are a number of people here who have firm convictions about certain subjects that may have been formed from several considerations. Some of those may be somewhat subjective, but there are others that come from inside information, direct experience and historical events.
There are a great many of those people who will also admit when they are wrong - or are willing to discuss where differences of opinion have been derived.
You wish to challenge a number of people here with: "
What if you guy's are wrong!" - which is a fair enough question in itself - but you have shown even less interest in considering that very same question if it were asked of you.
Is it unfair that anybody here expects you to be as equally answerable to any statements and opinions you give - as much as you expect it of them? I hope you would say 'no', but it is important to understand this also extends to allowing others the right to their opinions.
It also extends into the idea that "
maybe someone else knows something I don't". If I am wrong, please show me where, but you have not been particularly open to any comment that goes against your position on a number of topics.
For example, you have ignored several points made about the internet filter issue ... repeatedly.
On that subject, there are two major issues that I have a lot of trouble with - and there has been NO input from the advocates of the filter that have come close to addressing these issues, which are:
1. The filter won't fulfil the goal promised. While the technology has its issues, even assuming they can be adequately addressed, there are still a myriad of avenues NOT even mentioned in the filter that can be used to get to the same information. It's like putting a deadlock, a retinal scanner and video security on the front door, but leaving all your windows open, the patio door unlocked and the key sitting in the lock of the back door.
In a nutshell, if anybody wants to find all that stuff you talk about, THEY WILL. Just the same as you cannot make your car theft proof - if a thief wants it, it's gone! (All you can do is make it less attractive so they go find an easier target.)
But my biggest fear by several orders of magnitude is twofold:
2(a) The false sense of security. With the idea of a protective filter being 'sold' to the populace, all those who know no better or just want to be lazy about it, will abdicate ALL responsibility for the safekeeping of their children. They will think 'Oh, the Filter will protect them' and many will ignore any warning signs in the blind faith that the proponents of the Filter have 'sold' them. You wouldn't buy a used car that your mechanic neighbour said wouldn't last a week, just because the salesman said 'trust me' ... would you?
2(b) Not educating your children. This is so dangerous, I cannot begin to give it appropriate emphasis. The real world is out there and your kids are going to have to face it one day - completely on their own, with all the rights, responsibilities, risks and rewards that come with it. There are seedy, sinister, sadistic and simply dangerous elements out in the world that your kids WILL be exposed to and possibly have to deal with. Ignoring these realities because it's just too hard is a sure fire way to make their lives more difficult. They aren't going to recognise the warning signs - and if the unfortunate were to occur and they find themselves in the middle of something nasty, they're not going to be able to cope.
Now, if your immediate reaction is to indignantly decry me for advocating the widespread exposure of our kids to the ugliness of the world and abandon any morals or protection that is our duty to provide them - then you are exposing your fear of having to do that job yourself.
Now if you think that isn't an easy job, then you are right, but who best to guide your kids? The government? The school system? The church? While each of these institutions have their value and place, NONE are in the ideal position to give personal instruction ... but who is? Answer: Parents (and grandparents). Whether you realise it or not, as a parent you ARE teaching your kids - every day. Example is one thing they will learn from - and if your words are contrary to your actions, they will learn hypocrisy as well.
In my opinion, perhaps the most important part of a child's education is 'how to think for themselves'. Telling your child what to think is only appropriate until they are old enough to start working things out for themselves - welcome the infamous 'teenage years'. This is where they will rebel against being told what to think, what to do and what not to do - because their brain is working some things out for itself. I just hope they have been given some good guidelines on travelling this ground - because it can be pretty rough.
Your child will absorb information from a variety of sources, many of which you won't have any control over and there are going to be some things that you won't have ever come across, so giving them the skills to think on their feet will see them cope with scenarios you may never have dreamed of.
So, if you want to take the easy way out and take the government supplied cotton wool option (that you paid for), then you are giving away yet another responsibility and doing your kids a greater disservice. Not to mention that the cotton wool solution being presented by the government is akin to only covering the left arm, mouth, nose and right eyebrow. If it ever meets the cold hard light of day, there are going to be a lot of exposed bits.As for the NBN, NOBODY here would argue against the idea of rolling out decent internet services to the whole population. NOBODY here would deny the necessity of these services for the future of the country. The objective of the NBN is a GREAT idea ... it's just that the solution offered has issues - the cost discrepancy being just one.
I am surprised that the Moderators have not stepped in.
Have you reported any posts? If so, was there any response? Have there been any violations of site rules?
It confirms that if you are not like minded here, you are not welcome.
No-one has suggested you are not welcome, elantra, just that they have different opinions. It does not help when you ignore rather pertinent points others make in their arguments.
But gee do you think it's possible that you could be wrong, sometimes?
Yep. Sure is - but forgive us if we want you to argue your case logically.... please. We have this failing - we like things to make sense, which includes all the bits behind them.
Or are egos too large to allow that?
There are quite a number here that will concede against valid argument - but none (that I know of) that will concede against a dummy spit.
You are free to do as you like, elantra, including posting here. The decision is yours, but if you leave because of the reasoning given here, then the ego problem is not ours.
