[ExI] Natasha's brand new doctorate

[spike]

> On Behalf Of Stefano Vaj
Subject: Re: [ExI] Natasha's brand new doctorate

 

On 14 July 2012 02:24, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:

>>.I disagree so much Stefano.  The more active verb "defend" is the right
word, for it is much more wonderfully descriptive of the exhausting and
rigorous process of getting the highly esteemed doctoral degree.  


>.I was not being ironic, I fully agree.The lexical change in Italy reflects
the fact that process is currently perceived as too "adversarial", something
which is pretty stupid.  -- Stefano Vaj

 

 

Ja OK, cool thanks.  

 

We have a kind of attitude here in the states which seems to always be
trending away from all things adversarial, such as the notion that all kids
are winners, let's nurture their delicate self-esteem, etc.  I would contend
that everything everywhere and everywhen is adversarial, and must be, by
human nature.  Competition can be friendly; you can like the person or team
whose ass you are desperately struggling to whoop, no problem there.  I
cheerfully recommend it.  Be nice, be a sportsman, but whoop ass all the
same, in sport, academia and business.  

 

We live in a world and a time in which we no longer need to struggle for the
basics of survival; we do not encounter predators, we do not face
starvation, we are not exposed to nature's harsh elements.  We have evolved
to conquer all these kinds of challenges which suddenly all simultaneously
retreated under the attack of wonderfully stampeding technological advance.
So what do we do with all these evolutionary vestigial abilities to contend
with adversity?  We create rtificial adversity, such as video games and
sports, the professional striving to dominate her business competitors,
contrived (but singularly worthwhile) goals in academic achievement,
artificial battles in politics, to suggest a few good examples.  

 

All of these contrived artificial struggles are the things that cause us to
achieve personal and corporate excellence in a time when all our traditional
challenges suddenly went away faster than we could evolve to no longer need
them.

 

My proposal for our race: get rid of those artificial battles which are
physically dangerous: the kinds that involve military anything or any kind
of physical injury or serious death to anyone.  Keep and nurture the rest of
them, while inventing new and interesting challenges in which humans and
corporations may compete, the result of which is excellence for all and
superiority for some.

 

spike

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