Good Ideas Corrupted Over Time

[Recidiva]

I'm undergoing a fascination with the idea of how "Good Ideas" over time become ossified into stupidity and the basis for conflict instead of the way to resolve one.

Christianity had a lot of really great ideas, many of which revolve around being humble and doing your best to aid a community. Over time it's morphed into, in its most destructive - "Kill that guy, he doesn't say Jesus is awesome."

Buddhism had some excellent ideas, like "We have little control over who we are and we must work hard to transcend our baser instincts" and it morphs into "Everyone deserves what they get, there's nothing you can do but sit on our ass and accept it."

If I were to construct a Good Idea out of a modern very good idea, Games Theory - the idea of a win-win solution being the best outcome, and social values being calculated and sacrificed or promoted as a set of "best for all" calculation rather than zero sum...

How could someone in 500 years give or take, rob it of all its meaning and purpose and turn it into something vile?

Time has a way of taking social ideas and slowly deconstructing them into coal.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Letting women vote was a "GOOD IDEA!"


*snicker* *dood lol*

 

[Recidiva]

Letting women vote was a "GOOD IDEA!"


*snicker* *dood lol*

Well, at least right now I'm sorry I was allowed to learn how to read.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Well, at least right now I'm sorry I was allowed to learn how to read.

It seemed like a really good idea at the time.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Isn't it a good idea to say that Islam was a good idea to as not to offend anybody?



We don't want your PM box stuffed with death threats...

 

[Recidiva]

It seemed like a really good idea at the time.

See what I mean? Awful unintended consequences

 

[MonaLittle]

Letting women vote was a "GOOD IDEA!"


*snicker* *dood lol*

These people would wholeheartedly agree with you. As do I.

http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/washingtons-100-most-powerful-women/

 

[Recidiva]

Isn't it a good idea to say that Islam was a good idea to as not to offend anybody?



We don't want your PM box stuffed with death threats...

Islam had excellent ideas that had to involve dealing with oppression with righteous force and refusing to give into corruption. The Pillars are supposed to support the framework upon which you wage war and life and your relationship with Allah.

But now it's "Kill that guy, he/she doesn't say Allah is awesome...or he/she drew a picture of Allah."

 

[kbate]

Given enough time, uranium becomes lead.

Christianity never was 'one good idea'. It was from the start an amalgamation of the collected writings of a few guys based on their remembrances of a guy who was executed for treason and heresy.

If you lived between the years 300 and 1200, all you had to do to become a christian saint was be a priest with a good tale. James B would be a saint by now had he lived in those days.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

See what I mean? Awful unintended consequences

It seemed like a good idea to let them wear shoes and leave the kitchen, you could get more work out of them, but boy did that blow up in our faces!

 

[Recidiva]

Given enough time, uranium becomes lead.

Christianity never was 'one good idea'. It was from the start an amalgamation of the collected writings of a few guys based on their remembrances of a guy who was executed for treason and heresy.

If you lived between the years 300 and 1200, all you had to do to become a christian saint was be a priest with a good tale. James B would be a saint by now had he lived in those days.

Yes, definitely worth reading the Bible and commentaries and understanding how revolutionary the ideas were. Most modern audiences take for granted the power that the idea of monotheism had.

Of course most people still had to make it polytheistic and create a raft of saints to satisfy that urge.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Every good idea is an opportunity for corruption and exploitation and theft. But the ideas remain good inspite of what people do with them. I mean, using your logic food is bad, water is bad, sunshine is bad.

 

[Typo Fu Master]

Welfare.

Preserving food.

 

[Recidiva]

It seemed like a good idea to let them wear shoes and leave the kitchen, you could get more work out of them, but boy did that blow up in our faces!

There's one great thing about awful people. They all have to sleep sometime.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Given enough time, uranium becomes lead.

Christianity never was 'one good idea'. It was from the start an amalgamation of the collected writings of a few guys based on their remembrances of a guy who was executed for treason and heresy.

If you lived between the years 300 and 1200, all you had to do to become a christian saint was be a priest with a good tale. James B would be a saint by now had he lived in those days.

In fact I'm related to Jesus thru his uncle.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

I'd be willing to bet that 15 minutes ago, this thread sounded like, "a good idea."

 

[Recidiva]

Every good idea is an opportunity for corruption and exploitation and theft. But the ideas remain good inspite of what people do with them. I mean, using your logic food is bad, water is bad, sunshine is bad.

Well, as kbate said, elements decay over time, but the discovery of the uses of that particular element and that element itself still remain in the world.

The concept that the false prophet causes the true prophet to disappear is not true precisely. But there are a lot more false ones than true ones.

Well, in reality sometimes food, water and sunshine are bad. Not all the time.

 

[Recidiva]

Welfare.

Preserving food.

Would you please expand on that into a social example?

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Every good idea is an opportunity for corruption and exploitation and theft. But the ideas remain good inspite of what people do with them. I mean, using your logic food is bad, water is bad, sunshine is bad.

I can now frolic sans sunscreen?

 

[Recidiva]

I'd be willing to bet that 15 minutes ago, this thread sounded like, "a good idea."

Oh, it was never a good idea, just an interesting one.

You not helping is expected

 

[kbate]

In fact I'm related to Jesus thru his uncle.

Interesting, I did not realise that 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' was your story.

 

[about_average]

Christianity had a lot of really great ideas, many of which revolve around being humble and doing your best to aid a community. Over time it's morphed into, in its most destructive - "Kill that guy, he doesn't say Jesus is awesome."

Some people have morphed it in to that. There are still those who actually practice what Jesus stood for.

Buddhism had some excellent ideas, like "We have little control over who we are and we must work hard to transcend our baser instincts" and it morphs into "Everyone deserves what they get, there's nothing you can do but sit on our ass and accept it."

Karma has always been the foundation of Buddhism, but just like any religion, there are those who take it to extreme. Those who believe there's nothing you can do but sit on our ass and accept it are a tiny minority. In any case, not much conflict.

Unions
Government subsidies, including welfare.
Imminent domain.

 

[Recidiva]

Some people have morphed it in to that. There are still those who actually practice what Jesus stood for.

Karma has always been the foundation of Buddhism, but just like any religion, there are those who take it to extreme. Those who believe there's nothing you can do but sit on our ass and accept it are a tiny minority. In any case, not much conflict.

Unions
Government subsidies, including welfare.
Imminent domain.

Oh, I know. The good idea remains, it's just hard work.

I'm looking for the way the good idea manages to get interpreted in the laziest way.

Yes, I'm looking for stupidity, but interesting, evolutional stupidity.

Specifically the idea of win-win or games theory.

Unions are advocacy for one side.
Welfare is an application of community service that's abused.
Eminent domain is another community planning service that's abused.

 

[Recidiva]

Okay, I guess if it gets dumbed down it'd have to be in the form of a rule.

A corruption of a games theory idea would be "Always be nice to someone when they're nice to you." A complicated idea that has to do with giving someone a shot at cooperating after they've screwed up. It gives a concept of redemption and future win-win.

So a corruption of that idea would be "that guy didn't wipe the slate clean after that other guy raped and killed his wife and daughter, he doesn't believe games theory is awesome, kill him."

 

[kbate]

Oh, I know. The good idea remains, it's just hard work. I'm looking for the way the good idea manages to get interpreted in the laziest way. Yes, I'm looking for stupidity, but interesting, evolutional stupidity.
Specifically the idea of win-win or games theory.

It probably began in earnest in England (as do all corruptions of Good) during the 9th century. Christianity led by Saxon King Alfred (later titled 'The Great') fought Danish and Norse Paganism for 50 years.

It was common to credit victory as "the work of God" and any loss as, "The displeasure of God". The church became the most potent political power in the country (or countries), mostly from necessity (I think). The church was the best rallying point for the people who had to gather into the fyrd.

Wouldn't you want God on your side if you were standing with a sharpened hoe against an army of 2000 warrior Danes?

That sort of thing quickly morphs into, "Without God, you would have died," and from there into, "God wants you to kill!" "Saint ________ appeared on the battlefield and led our host to victory!" (give to the church).

Same goes for the Afghan who is looking at an American Armoured Infantry Battalion. God on your side and assured paradise is better than the reality of quick and permanent death.