Checking in for Old Times Sake

[dilla]

We live in a fucked up world with too much emphasis on materialism.

We should try to improve the world. I believe in letting people do as they wish with their own lives, as long as it doesn't impact on others. But people don't want to do Heroin. People don't want to do Crack. They did. But very quickly the choice leaves them. I have a couple of friends who enjoyed Heroin 10 years ago. Now they are consumed by it. They still earn decent money, and they are functioning addicts, the worst kind. I don't think it can be compared to obesity. But I believe both addiction and greed are mental illnesses.

I believe we need to start curing people, and to do that we need to be open to changes in the way that medicine works. The corruption in the pharmaceutical business is probably the first thing we, as an advanced civilisation, should look at.

We all have different views on the world, and mine currently is that trying to fix everything that is wrong with the world is comparable to trying to rid the ocean of fish turds so the fish have clean water to use. Some people think one thing is a problem while others couldn't give two shits about it. That will lead to conflict right then and there. I have been around drugs while growing up. Yes, even after spending half my life in a rich neighborhood and spending all of my life not having to worry about stuff most others have to. But remember, drugs affect anyone of any social status. Celebrities or the neighborhood bums. Remember when Amy Winehouse died? What about that homeless guy? Amy needed therapy. What did the bum need? I realize there's a problem with favoritism in our society, but how do you fix it? Tell people to change their views? Let me know how that ends up. We preach tolerance, but we fail to understand the fact that people have the right to change or not to change. "Be tolerant or else you're a Republican/Christian that is selfish." Ok. Whole lotta logic there.

You can't view society as a free market? You're free to do as you wish, but if you do something that is unfavorable to yourself or others, you're not allowed to perish? Companies that didn't nig their customers over still have to pay for your crimes and even fund your sustenance?

I absolutely agree that drug addiction should be treated as a health issue and not as a crime. But I still think it's a moral/ethical issue to chose to use or not to use drugs. Can I bring up pedophilia? Why do we propose ideas to imprison pedophiles and try to push for further action like killing them or castrating them? Why can't we do that to drug addicts that are still alive? Imprison them and then take the drug they abuse and give them an overdose and kill them? Problem solved right?

Clearly I support neither of situations I mentioned above. But do you see the hypocrisy? Pedophiles chose to abuse children on a case by case instance. But being afflicted with pedophilia is just as a much of sexual disorder as trans-sexualism. Is that a word? So why is one imprisoned and made a public spectacle of while the other is just simply the butt of jokes about someone's mom? Pedophilia is a fetish, in psychological terms. The way some have foot fetishes, leather fetishes, furry fetishes, etc. Do you like titties? That's a fetish too, it's just that it's so common it's accepted. Ass fetishes too. There are clinical names for these fetishes. People need to realize that. You don't control the fact that you're attracted to titties, men in uniforms, or amputees. The same way a pedophile doesn't choose to fuck little kids. So why, then, do we vilify pedophiles, instead of trying to get them the same help offered to drug addicts today? You don't choose to be gay, but there's plenty of support groups for that, and even laws protecting them.

I agree, "so long as they don't hurt people." But people are so sensitive these days, anything is seen as "offensive." Stephen Fry had a quote, go find it. It was great. I agreed with him too.

I'll go on a bit of a tangent here and go even further back in history and how it affects us today. If whitey didn't enslave niggers, blacks today would have no ground to stand on for reasons why they're in the situation they're in today. Hell, they wouldn't even be in this situation today. The white male became the epitome of terror because of a few that decided to make coon slaves. To make women second-class citizens. All the civil rights issues today would cease to exist if our forefathers hadn't done the shit they did. All this affirmative action shit whites of today complain about, all this female quota shit that is ruining the economy because an emphasis is placed on gender, regardless of talent/credentials...wouldn't happen if someone before us hadn't fucked it up. It frustrates me that today's society is forced to clean up the mess and take the backlash for shit someone did centuries ago. It wasn't all white men. Just a few. But enough was done that today's males have to pay for it. Whites can't make jokes about blacks, but vice versa is ok. Misogyny is frowned upon but misandry..."lolwtf women can't be sexist."

This has nothing to do with drugs, but I feel that other issues in today's society do stem from what I said. And have ruined it for all of us. You can't erase history, and it'll will always be a blemish and something that can be alluded to bring your argument come crumbling down. Like a kill-switch. "You're white, you had all the resources to succeed." Ok, but I have nothing to do with your less-fortunate situation either. And it bugs me. And I feel it always will.

 

[Prize Gotti]

^ The fish poop gets eaten by other sea creatures, and vice versa, the ocean self cleanses, the only dirt in there is what we made. I'm just saying.

 

[Pittsey]

As you spent all that time replying to me, I will try and read it all. Just not right now. You've just pulled a Preach on us.

 

[Casey]

Whites can't make jokes about blacks, but vice versa is ok. Misogyny is frowned upon but misandry..."lolwtf women can't be sexist.".

This point is invalid, because the vast majority of the world that we live (even the so called 'developed world') is both racist and patriarchal.

Racism and patriarchy are not problems from centuries ago. They are still happening. Just as much as ever.

a pedophile doesn't choose to fuck little kids

Yes, they do. That's absolutely what they do. Just because somebody may have, let's say, a predisposition to a certain type of behaviour (but let's not go into the psychological reasons or causes for that, that's another issue) doesn't mean they will necessarily act on it. People choose to either enable or suppress that fetish/predisposition.

 

[S O F I]

Enlighten me further. If it becomes a health issue, who would treat them? With a shortage of health care professionals, at least in the US, won't we just take thousands from crowded prisons and then crowd hospitals with them?

We live in a market-oriented economy. If there's a shortage of rehab facilities and staff to operate them but a demand for them, the market will deliver. I don't see a shortage of health care professionals in the US. I can go see a doctor easily. Yes, in fact, there's such a shortage that Canadians come down to the US to get treatment bccause they don't want to wait in Canada. Wait, what?

Also, people in prison are there for selling drugs, not using them.

What would the criteria be for a drug user to be admitted to therapy/treatment? Repeated minor offenses or one big, fat one?

Drug decriminalization and treatment instead of punishment is not a novel idea. Read up on Portugal.

And I know we've had this discussion before but a good number of people on this board want drugs legalized. So knowing the potential for users to become abusers, we still want to legalize it to keep prisons clear of minor offenders? What about the other debate we've had before about healthy eating? If drugs are ok and not as bad as people make them out to be and people should be allowed to do as they wish, that means to avoid being hypocrites we have to stop this war on obesity and allow cheap, unhealthy food remain the same price and healthy alternatives remain expensive, compared to their cheaper counterparts.

I'm not following. Cheap, unhealthy food is cheap. Healthy alternatives are generally a bit more expensive. Also, there is no war on obesity.

 

[S O F I]

I absolutely agree that drug addiction should be treated as a health issue and not as a crime. But I still think it's a moral/ethical issue to chose to use or not to use drugs.

The problem with making it a moral issue is that it promotes exclusion. It marginalizes drug users and stigmatizes them and makes the situation worse. Of course, there needs to be accountability self responsibility. But you're not helping the situation if the society as a whole is telling them that they're weak and that there's no outside help for them. Oh, and it certainly doesn't help if you tell them they deserve to die for using them.

It's safe to say you have a weight problem. As the result, you're more at risk of a wide variety of diseases and afflictions. But if you get diabetes and/or heart disease, I'm not going to say or think that you deserve to die.

 

[dilla]

This point is invalid, because the vast majority of the world that we live (even the so called 'developed world') is both racist and patriarchal.

Racism and patriarchy are not problems from centuries ago. They are still happening. Just as much as ever.

Yes, they do. That's absolutely what they do. Just because somebody may have, let's say, a predisposition to a certain type of behaviour (but let's not go into the psychological reasons or causes for that, that's another issue) doesn't mean they will necessarily act on it. People choose to either enable or suppress that fetish/predisposition.

So what do you suggest a pedophile do to "remedy" his/her problem?

Say I'm a pedophile. After reading your post and being told to "suppress my disposition," where do I go for help? Is there something I can do, other than revel in suppressed sexual desires? That's the point I'm getting at. If a pedophile goes to a therapist and explains himself, wouldn't the therapist be obligated to notify the authority of a potential danger? That's gonna fuck the person's life up by taping a big red flag on them wherever they go. But they need just as much help as the drug abuser, right? Why can't we tell the drug abuser to "suppress" their cravings and to not act on them like we pedophiles should?

 

[dilla]

The problem with making it a moral issue is that it promotes exclusion. It marginalizes drug users and stigmatizes them and makes the situation worse. Of course, there needs to be accountability self responsibility. But you're not helping the situation if the society as a whole is telling them that they're weak and that there's no outside help for them. Oh, and it certainly doesn't help if you tell them they deserve to die for using them.

It's safe to say you have a weight problem. As the result, you're more at risk of a wide variety of diseases and afflictions. But if you get diabetes and/or heart disease, I'm not going to say or think that you deserve to die.

I think there's a conflict of interest in your arguments about drugs because you've indicated plenty of times on this forum that you abuse cocaine. So I really can't take anything you say seriously because in my mind I think you're bargaining with yourself by responding to me on how your behavior isn't harmful to yourself.

You're saying we should all be accountable, until we fuck up. Then we just run to therapy and everything is all better? I think masta is right. You must have read the comments section on an article about drug abuse and think you've got drug addicts figured out. Because users never relapse, right? Or check out early? The problem they face is simply getting to therapy and getting support. Get those two together and they're cured. Sprinkle it with the some tax payers money to run a campaing to "educate the world" abut it. Get your campaign ready, we're going to make you President.

Diabetes? You use that word but I don't think you know what it means. Go look up the different types of diabetes and tell me their causes and onset and tell me which one I'm going to get because of my lifestyle and tell me you're going to walk away scot-free from it.

When I get diabetes and heart disease, it's going to be bittersweet for me. I'll live my last few years using your money to pay for my treatment and medication. Because it's not my fault I overate and smoked and never exercise. It's yours. And that's why you'll be paying for it. Because I didn't "deserve it."

 

[S O F I]

No, that's not what I'm saying. I've said what I meant and you're welcome to twist it.

 

[Pittsey]

I have to be honest.... I used to think like Coonie. I think as you get older you become more liberal and caring. I still find my old habits taking over now and again. I find myself less empathetic, and more judgemental.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Is that the Russell Brand video where he mentions Tupac?

 

[Pittsey]

Is that the Russell Brand video where he mentions Tupac?

Yeah. lol.

He was asked about being a role model and he quoted Pac.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_LHuII-jYQ&t=11m4s

Click the link to hear / see it.

 

[Jokerman]

If a pedophile goes to a therapist and explains himself, wouldn't the therapist be obligated to notify the authority of a potential danger?

*pic of Will Smith slapping that guy*

Uh...no. Not if he hasn't acted on it or says he will. Unless a crime has been committed patient confidentiality is in effect. That's an ethical obligation accepted by doctors and a legal issue protected by a number of laws. And what would the authorities do with info about potential suspects in potential future crimes? Shoot everyone wearing a hoodie?

 

[S O F I]

*pic of Will Smith slapping that guy*

Uh...no. Not if he hasn't acted on it or says he will. Unless a crime has been committed patient confidentiality is in effect. That's an ethical obligation accepted by doctors and a legal issue protected by a number of laws. And what would the authorities do with info about potential suspects in potential future crimes? Shoot everyone wearing a hoodie?

 

[not really ken]

Didn't we all stop talking to you because you said everyone who catches aids deserves to have it?

Did I? I don't even remember saying that, nor the context; it was probably a reaction to somebody spilling islamophobic spiel. That aside, people age, i'm twenty-nine as of this month and with age my reference points are changing, i've become much less opinionated, indignant and am more compassionate, I accept that we all have a common human bond which preceeds religious beliefs.

 

[dilla]

At the end of the shit storm, he drops the gem that he said that not only at a different point in his life, but as a knee-jerk reaction to another comment, and worst of all, he doesn't even remember it.

I am still wary of Muslims.

 

[Jurhum]

Glad to still see you around, even though I'm rarely around.

 

[S O F I]

Jurhum, did you dip your wee wee into her vajay jay yet?

 

[Jurhum]

Jurhum, did you dip your wee wee into her vajay jay yet?

I have a son and another baby on the way. So, to answer your question, yes.

 

[S O F I]

congrats.