should we all be friends or not

[Tawn]

This must be one of the most unethical abuses of science I've ever heard.

If were discussing unethical science.. then what about an experiment that was done on monkeys.. to discover more about empathy..
They were put in cages next to each other, and each monkey had two levers that could be pulled for their food. One lever when pulled gave out a measily amount of food.. not enough to prevent gradual starvation.. the other lever gave lots of food, but it would cause an electic shock to the adjacent monkey,

Eventually the monkeys learnt the consequences of each lever and despite being brought to the point of starvation they refused to pull the lever which released the most food.

Yeah, some scientists dont let morality get in the way of research...

oh and as to the question, yes I think we should get along.. so long as we dont force our beliefs on each other.

 

[MatCauthorn]

Have you ever seen the experiment where people where told they were helping with an experiment. They were asked to present questions to a person in another room. If they answered incorrectly this person was to admister an electric shock. Despite the screams and the pleas of mercy from the person on the other side of the wall, the person went against what they thought was right, and continued the experiment as they were told.

The version of this experiment that I recall from psychology class was that the shocks were simulated. As in, the person who was supposedly giving the shocks was in fact pressing a button that caused a light to flash in front of an actor (or something - but not an actual shock), who screamed according to how painful the shock was supposed to be. It was indeed a test to see if people would be willing to give shocks up to the maximum level (including when the actor faked a heart attack) and many of them were, because they were obeying the authority of the scientists, who told them that the experiments must be done and the procedures must be followed. It was a test to see how people reacted to authority, and nobody was hurt, except for the stress to the participants who thought they were shocking someone, potentially to death. Many people were extremely angry when they found out they had been tricked, but the point being made is exactly the same.

Read more here: http://www.alternet.org/story/14731

For more scary psychological research about people not getting along (and, in this case, people actually becoming sadistic) read about the Zimbardo prison experiment -- http://www.prisonexp.org/

-- Mat

 

[lost in tranquility]

Yes, i belive we should all be able to get along as friends regardless of ones religion. I don't think religion should be the sole reason why a person decides to make another their enemy, esspeccially if they decide to enflict violence upon that enemy. For example the protestant and catholic conflict. Both religions are both branches of christianity yet they fight and people die. Violence is not the answer.
Isn't saying that you don't want to assoicate with another person because of their religion simmilar to saying you don't want to assoicate with another person beccause of their race? I don't believe that is right.

 

[Fluffy]

Just out of interest, can somebody give me a benefit they, or others have recieved, as a direct result of regarding another as an "enemy".

 

[Saw11_2000]

^It helps to dehumanize your views of people so it's easier to hurt them etc.

It's a bit harder to be in war and have someone say, well, the people you're about to kill have kids and a wife, and their parents will probably cry when you kill them, instead of, they are evil and hate us!

It is much easier to be negative towards someone you hate rather than someone you like.

 

[Pah]

Just out of interest, can somebody give me a benefit they, or others have recieved, as a direct result of regarding another as an "enemy".

Security, when the "enemy" is acted upon.

 

[Fluffy]

Security, when the "enemy" is acted upon.

^It helps to dehumanize your views of people so it's easier to hurt them etc.

Yeah I can agree with both of these. But I look at it like this. Wars are only started when we begin to view another nation as our "enemy". For example, a large proportion of the English attacks on France were not driven out of any sort of gain, but simply because France was England's traditional enemy. The same is true with Scotland.

So I argue that what you describe as a benefit of viewing another as an enemy, is actually self-destructive, because unless you wipe your enemy off the face of the planet, which is totally impractical on the internation level which this implies, you are commiting yourself to generations of hostility most of which is meaningless.

How many wars have there been to stop the spread of the enemy aka Communism?

I think this is one of the areas which Christianity has got down so right and well that sometimes I'm surprised that I'm not Christian, myself. Love your enemy and turn the other cheek do work whereas negativity breeds more negativity.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I don't think anyone would be suprised at my answer to the question in... er... question.

 

[Scuba Pete]

How many times must a cannon ball fly?

The only acceptable war, is one of words. Even then, we should never engage someone just to "hurt" them.

 

[fromthe heart]

We all have our own beliefs but should we be enemys tords others that don't belive the same thing as us or should we be friends with them?If we should be enemys with them should we show it in a violent way or just stay away from them?If we should be kind to them should we be friends and have a good relationship with them or should we like them but not bother to be friends with them?please explain your anser

I don't believe in being enemies with anyone...but I can't say I would chose to be friends with everyone as well....I'm the type of person who will avoid those who lead a certian lifestyle but I won't speak about them behind their back and put them down...I do however pray for them. Praying for some people makes them angry so I don't just say...I just pray. We don't have to be friends to have respect for another person in the fact that they have every right to do as they see fit...I don't fit the mold for a lot of things but I do allow folks to be human and screw up. I don't believe in violence because it usually means someone innocent will get hurt..it's much better to bite your tongue a thousand times than hurt someone who is totally innocent over a gripe you have with someone else.

 

[johnnys4life]

We all have our own beliefs but should we be enemys tords others that don't belive the same thing as us or should we be friends with them?If we should be enemys with them should we show it in a violent way or just stay away from them?If we should be kind to them should we be friends and have a good relationship with them or should we like them but not bother to be friends with them?please explain your anser

I think we should be helpful towards people if they are in need, and friendly most of the time. That is hard for me when I don't like someone. Based on thier moral character, I just don't like some people, and so I tend to avoid them in every day life...because other wise I just end up being rude and I don't want to do that. But if they needed something, or they were dying or something I would go help them out.

I don't really have THAT much resentment towards ANYONE. Though I can have my irritable moments. After all, we are all God's creations.

 

[michel]

As far as I am concerned, everyone I know is a friend. Some are better friends, and some fall into the group of acquaintances. If someone doesn't like me - and makes it obvious to me, I take no offence - it just means that we would both be happier not knowing each other.

 

[armageddon]

We all have our own beliefs but should we be enemys tords others that don't belive the same thing as us or should we be friends with them?If we should be enemys with them should we show it in a violent way or just stay away from them?If we should be kind to them should we be friends and have a good relationship with them or should we like them but not bother to be friends with them?please explain your anser

dont many, if not all, religions emphasize loving/treating everyone equally? wouldnt that technically count for those who have religions different from your own? even the old pope had tried to soften conflicts between religions. just because you believe different things doesnt mean you have to be enemies, for there is no (or should be) a correlation between religion and friendship. now if you dont like their personality or the way they are then thats something different.