Cardinal Newman Society Campaign Against Offensive “Monologues” Achieves Results

Life Site News ^ | 2/1/06 | Gudrun Schultz

[Incorrigible]

Though it's hard to tell mosttimes, MU has always been a tad to the right of the other Jesuit schools.

[Antoninus]

This is a disservice to Mill, who recognized that there are greater things in human life than bumps, scratches, and base pleasure rushes.

Not really. Just because people have used Mill to give themselves a philosophical backing to indulge their own basest desires, doesn't necessarily reflect badly on the man himself. I suspect he'd be rather horrified to find out the kind of activities that are being endorsed using his philosophy.

[Antoninus]

Not especially.

Thanks. You confirmed my suspicions.

Isn't semester break over by now?

[Antoninus]

It is simply a play about an aspect of life.

Glad you're such a discerning person. I guess a play about taking a dump would be fine with you too. After all, that's a much more common aspect of life.

Death to relativism!

[illinoissmith]

"The play doesnt suggest that sex is the be all and end all of humanity. It does however point out that it is an important part of human existence. It chooses to focus on that part of existence, just as other plays focus on other parts of existence."

This is factually incorrect. The play elevates sex to a level beyond respect for things like ability of minors to consent, and beyond things like the importance of context to give an act meaning and purpose, etc. The material of the play is evidence for the role it suggests sex should have in life. That suggested role is as end-unto-itself goal, disconnected from other parts of reality, and higher to them.

Further reason why I say what I say about this play, is that this play fits in seamlessly with a social pattern I have observed in many other places and forms. This social pattern is the nihilistic hedonist worldview very prevalent in the post-Christian West, which is causing tremendous misery and intellectual brokenness and backwardness in its hapless adherents.

"Again, I dont think the play attempts to hurt people. It is simply a play about an aspect of life."

There are some harms in life that are a bit more subtle than, though just as damaging as, things like getting hit over the head with a frying pan. I have tried to lay out my take on some of these, above. Further discussion and I will just do more in the same vein. If you can't fathom this, I doubt we can do much more than talk past each other.

[berkley]

St Louis University allowed it last year. I wrote Fr Biondi a letter that I no longer would donate $$$ to a university that promotes such trash. I have kept my pledge. I'll send $$$ to the Newman Society.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

One of my brothers donates yearly to Marquette... That is, until this year with the "Gold" fiasco among other things. I suggested he switch his donation to the CNS and tell MU why he is doing that.

[John O]

I got a call from them just yesterday. A very nice young lady called and asked for my donation. I asked if they had changed the name back to Warriors yet. She said no but it was still quite a controversy. I told her that it would continue to be one and that they should call me back when they change the name.

[illinoissmith]

"Not really. Just because people have used Mill to give themselves a philosophical backing to indulge their own basest desires, doesn't necessarily reflect badly on the man himself. I suspect he'd be rather horrified to find out the kind of activities that are being endorsed using his philosophy."

I misspoke, and I apologize for doing so. I should have said, not that you do a disservice to Mill, but that I believe you misrepresent some of the details of his particular variety of Utilitarianism.

I suspect you are thinking of the philosophy Bentham, and of other Utilitarians in his vein, not of Mill.

They differ is some significant ways. Mill's system would have put VM-esque trash on the level of a pig's desires, and given them very low weight in his calculus. Bentham was dealing with, essentially, the physical intensity of the pleasure of pain, to give weight to various pleasure of pain, and so his system is very easily accommodating for things like VM. Most famous Utilitarians today are of Bentham's vein (Singer, for one).

You may not believe that Mill's system was a justifiable form of Utilitarianism, given the premises of Utilitarianism, but it is his system, so it is what he says it is. And what he says it is is a system where base pleasures get few points and higher pleasures get more points, without central regard to the physical intensity of those pleasures. Base and higher defined to mean, essentially, what an educated, civilized man like himself thinks they mean (his standard for higher vs. base is, which would an educated man, with knowledge of the full range of possible pleasures, prefer). Thus the famous Socrates quote.

[illinoissmith]

BTW, Bentham preceded Mill (IIRC, he was a friend of Mill's father), so I don't think it could be said that the fruits of Bentham's philosophy (such as VM) are, even indirectly, the fruits of Mill's.

[DBeers]

Again, I dont think the play attempts to hurt people. It is simply a play about an aspect of life.

Aspects of life are anectdotal -the fact that things happen or are evident and or the frequency that things happen or are evident are inconsequential determinants in regards to morality. As example: liberals wish to continue aborting innocents -this too is an aspect of life -YET it is murder and is quite offensive.

It should be as objectively obvious to you as it is to me that that your apsect of life statement is morally meaningless...

[GOP_Party_Animal]

...and that they should call me back when they change the name.

LOL - Nice and simple. I told the girl (who was living in McCormick!) that I couldn't trust the administration and the BOD with my money. I think it went over her head.

[Incorrigible]

We all must have talked to the same girl. Said she was a freshman living at McCormick and that it was her first day calling. She seemed a little too polished for that to be true though.

I have different reasons for not donating all these years mostly related to Dean Kipp.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Before rhe was removed by the moderater, DonalWheresMaTrousers wrote, "Nobody gets hurt by a performance, therefore it isnt, in my opinion, immoral."

I agree with yuour response. If a person means, "There were no cuts, abrasions, concussions, or gunshot wounds, and nobody was hospitalized by the end of the play," then you can say "nobody gets hurt." But, since we are human beings and not mountain bonobos, we can be damaged in more ways than physically. We have emotional, intellectual,and spiritual faculties that can be weakened, warped, injured, or killed.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

Here's a post from my favorite Marquette blog (gop3.com). Could the poster be our gal?

Allison Herre Says:

You are completely correct about the alums feeling alienated [re: Warriors]…i cannot count the number of times that i have been turned down for a donation for that very reason…its why i have to stay on the phone for an average of 30 mins longer a night than usual

[metmom]

More like bye-bye.

[TAdams8591]

"There were no cuts, abrasions, concussions, or gunshot wounds, and nobody was hospitalized by the end of the play," then you can say "nobody gets hurt." But, since we are human beings and not mountain bonobos, we can be damaged in more ways than physically. We have emotional, intellectual,and spiritual faculties that can be weakened, warped, injured, or killed."

This is something I have understood since I was college age. Why is it so difficult for people to understand?