I meant this in the same context as the rest of the thread, which was about the question of whether being a skeptic naturally leads to being pro-establishment or not (and more specifically, about whether Michael Shermer should be considered a "great skeptic").
In the comment just before this I qualified my use of the word "establishment", saying that by that I mean the views associated with mainstream science. I added that qualification because I'm aware it can be used in a broader sense to mean many other things. Although I think that is what darius meant by it in accusing Shermer of being pro-establishment anyway. (If he did not, he didn't correct me on it.)
Looking at the list of interests of mine you dug up, I have to wonder how having an interest in something makes me a contrarian, even if the establishment here is taken to be mainstream American culture rather than mainstream science. Yes, I'm interested in counter culture, but does being interested in something make you a contrarian? What if my interest in it is that I want to figure out how to suppress it? Or what if my interest in it is just that I think it's interesting and worthy of study? Granted, I admit that not only do I find counter culture interesting, but I also enjoy "participating" in many things that would be labeled counter culture. But even participating in something deviant, I'm not sure that represents a view or a belief that is contrarian... although it comes closer since presumably if I'm participating I must think it is worthwhile while most people don't.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-10-26 02:53 am (UTC)In the comment just before this I qualified my use of the word "establishment", saying that by that I mean the views associated with mainstream science. I added that qualification because I'm aware it can be used in a broader sense to mean many other things. Although I think that is what
Looking at the list of interests of mine you dug up, I have to wonder how having an interest in something makes me a contrarian, even if the establishment here is taken to be mainstream American culture rather than mainstream science. Yes, I'm interested in counter culture, but does being interested in something make you a contrarian? What if my interest in it is that I want to figure out how to suppress it? Or what if my interest in it is just that I think it's interesting and worthy of study? Granted, I admit that not only do I find counter culture interesting, but I also enjoy "participating" in many things that would be labeled counter culture. But even participating in something deviant, I'm not sure that represents a view or a belief that is contrarian... although it comes closer since presumably if I'm participating I must think it is worthwhile while most people don't.