Liberal-Minded

From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Fri, 2006-12-08 10:13

A quote from Terry Eagleton in The London Review of Books, 30 November 2006

Without stereotyping of some kind, social life would grind to a halt. If the plumber turns up to fix the drains dressed in tights and a tutu, I would naturally be liberal-minded enough to invite him to perform a few pirouettes at the sink; but if the bank manager insists on discussing my loan in Latvian, I might take my business elsewhere. Human freedom is a question of life being reasonably predictable, not of being joyously liberated from rules.

What if it's not a tutu or Latvian that's the problem?

Submitted by Frank Lee on Sat, 2006-12-09 16:38.

Eagleton neglected to say what he would do if his dentist/car mechanic/grocer threatened to kill him for being a fornicator/apostate/homosexual.  Would he be liberal minded and indulge the murderer or would he take his business elsewhere in that case?  What if said dentist/car mechanic/grocer isn't the murderous type, but wishes to place a special tax on Eagleton because Eagleton has not submitted to the one true religion?  Would Eagleton accept his specially taxed status -- is he that liberal minded?  Does Eagleton object only to the speaking of Latvian?

Equality for Islam

Submitted by Flanders Fields on Fri, 2006-12-08 19:48.

In this same sense, why don't we carry tolerance a step further and incorporate some leftist values.  Let's not only allow muslim women to wear the burka, but require that both the men and women wear it. 

 

 

Insanity

Submitted by Amsterdamsky on Fri, 2006-12-08 12:08.

I have heard insanity described as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. The same can be applied to personal interactions I believe.