You know what I like best about Internet forums, especially those the likes of Fark? Well, if I had to pick just one thing, I guess it would be the complete futility! Whenever there is a heated discussion, we see the unmitigated ignorance, thoughtlessness, apathy, and reckless abandonment of kindness.
Let's say there is a discussion about a person's ability in America to determine his degree of success or failure in life. Wait until there are about thirty comments. Immediately there is a noticeable disregard for objectivity. For a proper discussion there must be consideration of as many factors as possible. In this particular exchange there is no mention of the infinite possibilities for combinations of life factors that entirely affect one's "ability" to "determine" one's "success" or "failure". The quotation marks represent another problem—definitions are different for every person, especially for things like success and failure.
The biggest problem, I think, is that it seems as though many people assume there are universal rules for human activity. Particularly, in this case, there is the example of universal standards for the measurement of success and failure, as well as the availability, quantity, quality of resources and the great number of factors affecting the methods for success. In the US alone there are differences of race, sex, the cycle of poverty, economy, and the fluctuations of each in various regions. There are certainly many more which I wouldn't think of, like the effects of macro- and microeconomics, sociology, and so on.
There are no universal rules. Certitudes need to be dropped as we yield to objectivity.
And kindness. It seems as though we forget about respect when we lack objectivity and disregard true thoughtfulness. That "thoughtfulness" is more important than any attempt of logic or rhetoric in the case of general discussion, or assessment of one's worth. In that regard, a person's intelligence doesn't matter if he truly attempts to think freely, deeply, and honestly. If anything in this post comes close to any type of universal truth, it's that.
