[extropy-chat] Depressing Thought. -Mapping words to

[Brett Paatsch]

Rick writes:

> ><Brett> Referents
> 
> >I have some half-baked (perhaps) notion that using the
> word "belief" endorses it as a meme and that that is not
> helpful to reasoning.
> />
> 
> >"I reckon ... I infer ... I conclude   [know, understand, can see, ...]
> /></Brett>
> 
> Now there's an old friend -- an old pet peeve of mine: the word
> "belief" having the power to cause me nausea; just as much as that 
> other word "faith." I think I had been studying -- bathing in -- all 
> of Ayn Rand's  non-fiction books. I tried to swear off the "b" word
> and even tried to show others the error of their ways. 
> But people  are just so damn stupid,
> nobody sees any reason to change their old patterns of speech -- they
> claim that it is nearly always clear, to the speaker and to the
> listener, from context etcetera what the meaning of the "b" word is. I
> doubt I'll try really getting on the "b" bandwagon again, but on this
> list hence forth I side with the "B" man. (B)rett. Yup, I reckon so. 
> 
> And there's another word that could stand being avoided: percentage.
> What a clumsy fuck way of saying hundreds. Just scrambles the 
> brains of folk whose IQ is any less than 93. Or so I'm told. 

Rick I don't agree with the use of profanity just for the sound of
it.  I would be very happy to take a bit out of one really bad meme.
Profanity for profanitys sake just distorts the message I think.

I may regret using any at all even in context if it catches on. 

Brett