You're Welcome

A couple of days ago another coworker surprised me with a statement about firearms. I was surprised because this person is an armed security guard and uses his weapon to defend himself on a regular basis. He told me that "If guns had never been invented we wouldn't have all of this violence." Upon reflection I realized what I should have said: "I concede your point. If there were no firearms there would be no firearm violence. If there were no automobiles there would be no auto accidents. If there was no alcohol there would be no alcoholism but so what?"

At work the other day I characterized, to a coworker, an individual that we both knew, as a "nut". Her immediate response was: "You can't judge!". As General Schwartzkopf would put it: "Bovine scatology!" It is B.S for two reasons: 1. Viewed as an expression of power "you can't judge" is false. My coworker is not a leader or change agent. I can (have the ability to) judge anyone at anytime for any reason and my coworker is powerless to stop it. 2. Viewed as an expression of ethics/morals my coworker's admonishment is false. It is ethical/moral for me to judge this person because existence is primary. Reality is the same for everyone. If I acted the way this "nut" acted I too would be rightfully judged as a "nut". "You can't judge" is exactly the kind of counter-culture nonsense, that if allowed to stand, incorrectly emphasizes the presumption for change and the presumption for change puts in...