No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no

[EternalOptimist]

We are only really here for one thing, to procreate and die, just like everything else. How can it be natural to want to be with a partner you can't procreate with. We would be exctint if this was natural. I don't mind people being homosexual, each to their own but I can't stand the we are all equal and I am homophobic for thinking it is unnatural. Saying that I tend to be against anything where I am told what I can and can't think/say......

There is a big problem with this. A lot of older people marry/remarry knowing they can never have kids
there is a life outside of having kids, although, technically, thats whats life is all about

[NotAllThere]

.But for some of us, we deliberate about what makes sense and is valid before deciding upon an opinion. If that opinion tallies with the majority it need be neither lazy or invalid, but could quite easily be construed as "going with the flow", provided one surrounds oneself with like-minded rational company....

Now you are just arguing over semantics.

No it isn't. It's the entire point. "Going with the flow" is the the direct opposite of deliberating about what makes sense and is valid before deciding upon an opinion.

I suggested that you were just going with the flow, because you didn't present any reasoning behind your opinion. You went straight for ad hominem, characterising those who don't hold your opinion as dinosaurs. Of course going with the flow of popular opinion demonstrates the same lack of reasoning as those who are daily mail readers - it's just the flipside of the same coin.

It is possible to think that Elton John becoming a parent, at the age of 63 is perfectly alright, that his sexual preference is irrelevant, without mindlessly following the zeitgeist. It is also possible to think that it isn't right, without being a homophobic dinosaur.

<patronise>
It's perfectly normal, when you're young to think that your point of view is the only possible correct, rational and ethical perspective. But if you continue with that when you're older, then you will become a dinosaur yourself. </patronise>

[MarillionFan]

No it isn't. It's the entire point. "Going with the flow" is the the direct opposite of deliberating about what makes sense and is valid before deciding upon an opinion.

I suggested that you were just going with the flow, because you didn't present any reasoning behind your opinion. You went straight for ad hominem, characterising those who don't hold your opinion as dinosaurs. Of course going with the flow of popular opinion demonstrates the same lack of reasoning as those who are daily mail readers - it's just the flipside of the same coin.

It is possible to think that Elton John becoming a parent, at the age of 63 is perfectly alright, that his sexual preference is irrelevant, without mindlessly following the zeitgeist. It is also possible to think that it isn't right, without being a homophobic dinosaur.

<patronise>
It's perfectly normal, when you're young to think that your point of view is the only possible correct, rational and ethical perspective. But if you continue with that when you're older, then you will become a dinosaur yourself. </patronise>

I don't agree with that either. Your initial post gave the basis of two options. If after examining the facts & deliberating you decide that your viewpoint is either 'sheep' or 'dinosaur' then that places you effectively within a liberal or conservative viewpoint. Which may actually be your view. I assuming your middle ground must be Labour and so would be to borrow money to educate dinosaurs and patronise the sheep.

[NotAllThere]

Close. I'd go for euthanasing the dinosaurs, and having the sheep roasted, then curried. With plain boiled rice and sag bhaji.

[EternalOptimist]

Going with the flow is taking the path of least resistance, like a bit of water flowing down into the sea, or an electron whizzing down a bit of copper wire.
Causing minimum upset, minimum strife but still doing the goodly good.


I often wondered what was wrong with that

[shaunbhoy]

I suggested that you were just going with the flow, because you didn't present any reasoning behind your opinion. You went straight for ad hominem, characterising those who don't hold your opinion as dinosaurs.

Nor did the original two posters that my response was directed at. I notice you did not take them to task however.

Of course going with the flow of popular opinion demonstrates the same lack of reasoning as those who are daily mail readers - it's just the flipside of the same coin.

Only if you are naive enough to conclude that "popular opinion" must always be wrong, or at least poorly thought out. Not always the case.

It is possible to think that Elton John becoming a parent, at the age of 63 is perfectly alright, that his sexual preference is irrelevant, without mindlessly following the zeitgeist. It is also possible to think that it isn't right, without being a homophobic dinosaur.

I would conclude that the burden of responsibility to elaborate on one's position lies with the OP in this instance. Had he done this I would have offered an equally detailed explanation for my position. Odd that you are only choosing to comment on one side of this debate. Or then again maybe not.