Subject: Re: Ridicule as an anti-Scn weapon
Date: 09 May 1997 00:00:00 GMT
From: Stephen Jones <snjones@ix.netcom.com>
Organization: Netcom
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology

In article <3372AFA5.14EE@worldnet.att.net>,
        Joe Harrington <joeharr@worldnet.att.net> wrote:

<snip>

>Ridicule is most likely a source of self-amusement for the people who
>engage in it and it probably has some internal therapeutic value for
>them. But generally I don't think it is an effective method of
>bringing
>about reform or social changes as it usually causes alienation and
>hardens the resolve of the people who are being subjected to it.

Agreed that ridicule can be a source of self-amusement.  I'd hate to
think that other jokers and degraders are doing so with a grim
determination.  I also see how ridicule can cause alienation and
harden resolve.  It doesn't always, but it can.  What I do not agree
with is your assessment of ridicule's effectiveness in furthering
reform or fostering social change.  Ridicule can't be beat when it
comes to kicking the bejeezus out of an oppressive, idiotic or just
plain thoughtless belief/system, regardless if that belief is
political, social or spiritual.  Besides, it can be fun...unless the
ridicule is directed towards the spiritual in which case it is taboo
and very bad manners so please don't do it.

A walk down the path of history is crunchy with the crispy corpses of
those who pooh-poohed or ignored the clown car of ridicule when it
pulled-up to the curb.  Who would have thought such a tiny car could
contain so many infectious and revolutionary guffaws?  Satires,
parodies, blue humor, pants to the ground ass-wavings, tea-dumping,
Modest Proposal submiting, 7 dirty word spewing, flag burning, frankly
impolite, just plain rude and improper expressions of ridicule have
either ignited reform, fanned the flames or kicked the corpse to make
sure it was dead.

>And when it is done in public, I don't think most people look
>favorably on the people engaging in it as ridicule is generally
>considered offensive.

But sometimes it is supposed to be offensive. Sure, sometimes it's
just dumb and sometimes it backfires, HELLO! Mikesmith3, Woody and the
rest of the ars handlers from the Jokers/Degraders/Copyright
terrorists and degraded wog beings of ARS.  Ridicule can be just mean
and ugly but it is also capable of greater things.

Stephen Jones

>Joe