Planning a post about people and how to treat them
Jul 26, 2015 9:05:32 GMT
Post by lurkingkobold on Jul 26, 2015 9:05:32 GMT
Hi, all.
I want there to be a post about how to know whether someone is a person, what things don't make someone not a person, and how people should be treated. A lot of peoples' worlds seem to have trouble with that, one way or another, and people who find the forum don't always realize right away that it's something we might want to help with, or that we might be able to help, so I want to make a post that makes it easier to find that out.
I've been thinking about what that post should say, and I have some ideas, but there might be important things that I haven't thought of. Here's what I've thought of so far:
What makes someone a person:
Someone who can do these things, but thinks that it's dangerous or useless to do them, or who doesn't realize that they can do them, or finds them difficult, is still a person.
Things that some people don't have, or do:
Things everyone I know of does, but there might be people who don't do them:
I tried to make a list of ways that people shouldn't treat each other, but I don't think that's a good idea - it was upsetting to think about, and would be upsetting to hear, and I don't think we'd be able to think of everything that would need to go on the list. It seems like it will work better to have a list of things that people should be able to do, and say that anything that stops someone from being able to do those things is bad.
Here are a few ideas for things that people should be able to do; I'm sure there are more things that should be on this list:
The post might also say some things about what kind of help we can give, or maybe it will just tell people to talk to the World Tree Coalition if they need help. I do think that it should say what we'll do if the person listening to it, or their friends or tribemates, are hurting people; we will need to be willing to work with them, or we won't find out about the problems on their worlds at all. On the other hand, we need to be careful not to do things that will give them a reason to hurt more people; for example, if someone is trapping people and hurting them, and they want us to trade them things for the people, agreeing to that might give them a reason to trap even more people, so they can trade them to us.
Does all of that seem right? Is there anything I've missed? Are there any things that should be added, or removed, or changed?
I want there to be a post about how to know whether someone is a person, what things don't make someone not a person, and how people should be treated. A lot of peoples' worlds seem to have trouble with that, one way or another, and people who find the forum don't always realize right away that it's something we might want to help with, or that we might be able to help, so I want to make a post that makes it easier to find that out.
I've been thinking about what that post should say, and I have some ideas, but there might be important things that I haven't thought of. Here's what I've thought of so far:
What makes someone a person:
- people learn, both from seeing things that happen and from thinking on their own
- people care about things, beyond just what's happening to them in the moment
- people make choices, and their choices change depending on what they care about are and what they know; in particular, they make choices about themselves, what they want to learn, what kind of lives they want to have, who they want to spend time with.
Someone who can do these things, but thinks that it's dangerous or useless to do them, or who doesn't realize that they can do them, or finds them difficult, is still a person.
Things that some people don't have, or do:
- language: speaking at all, using a particular language, using a particular kind of language
- bodies: having a body, having a particular kind of body, having a body that looks a particular way or can do particular things
- living a certain way, having tribes or governments or schools or buildings
- having a mind that looks a certain way
- having certain skills or abilities or knowledge
- caring about particular things
- making choices that other people agree with or understand.
Things everyone I know of does, but there might be people who don't do them:
- has emotions
- uses tools
- lives with other people.
I tried to make a list of ways that people shouldn't treat each other, but I don't think that's a good idea - it was upsetting to think about, and would be upsetting to hear, and I don't think we'd be able to think of everything that would need to go on the list. It seems like it will work better to have a list of things that people should be able to do, and say that anything that stops someone from being able to do those things is bad.
Here are a few ideas for things that people should be able to do; I'm sure there are more things that should be on this list:
- choose how to use their time
- choose where to live and who to live with, as long as the people they're choosing to live with agree
- be safe; people should be able to choose to do dangerous things, but if they decide they want to be safe they should be able to do that, too.
The post might also say some things about what kind of help we can give, or maybe it will just tell people to talk to the World Tree Coalition if they need help. I do think that it should say what we'll do if the person listening to it, or their friends or tribemates, are hurting people; we will need to be willing to work with them, or we won't find out about the problems on their worlds at all. On the other hand, we need to be careful not to do things that will give them a reason to hurt more people; for example, if someone is trapping people and hurting them, and they want us to trade them things for the people, agreeing to that might give them a reason to trap even more people, so they can trade them to us.
Does all of that seem right? Is there anything I've missed? Are there any things that should be added, or removed, or changed?