The Nice Guy
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F
I think when the guy show you some courtesy, respect or do nice things for you that's being nice. But a good man will tell you about Jesus Christ, will tell u the truth, will show u the light and help u walk through it, and encourage u to pray and read the bible so that your soul will be save. But its not like all the nice guys wont tell u the truth about Jesus Christ though, even nice guys do that. But not very because nice guys often consider pleasing others. And there are people that doesn't like hearing the truth.
Actually, in terms of analysis, this IS relativism. In literary criticism the idea that "everyone's meaning is valid" usually falls into the category of "deconstruction" or "deconstructionism."
So, person X says, "Well, this is what the word MEANS TO ME. I can't be wrong in my understanding of words because words have no inherent meaning apart from the meaning that each individual provides to the word. So, because this is what the word MEANS TO ME, the play Hamlet is primarily about the baking of chocolate chip cookies."
Here's what one deconstructionist said, "Deconstruction is not a dismantling of the structure of a text, but a demonstration that it has already dismantled itself. Its apparent solid ground is no rock, but thin air."
If words have no ASCRIBED meaning, but they mean WHATEVER people want them to mean, this has a DIRECT IMPACT on both INTERPRETATION OF TEXT and OUR OWN THINKING.
This means that whatever anyone says about a pre-existing text is TRUE. There is no ascribed meaning, words mean whatever we want them to mean. In other words, it is impossible for a Christian to adopt this view of language and at the same time affirm that the bible has any inherent meaning based on its own text. This means that textual studies of the bible would be intellectual exercises, but ultimately wouldn't matter. What would matter is the meaning that the individual brings to the text based on their own idiosyncratic use of language.
Problematic, eh.
This school of thought, btw, is a direct manifestation of the embracing of moral relativism and the abandonment of inherent underlying structure.
One of the basic concerns of deconstruction is the re-evaluation of all western values based on this idea of inherent contradiction and lack of ability to arrive at a fixed conclusion.
In other words, it's the re-examination of philosophy (which has a ripple effect on all academic fields of study).
It's a step further than the existentialism of Kierkegaard and the nihilism of Nietzsche.
Why should we care, we aren't academics bent over dusty books of philosophy.
As Christians we should care because this kind of relativism in language has a DIRECT IMPACT on biblical studies.
We should also care because the way we use words affects how we think, which in turn affects what we believe about ourselves and the word and how we act.
The perfect example of this is the very conversation about "nice guy." Some men have decided that "nice guy" means weak (although this is not inherent in the meaning of the phrase). Because of this position, they behave accordingly. They have a fear of appearing weak, so they will allow their individualized use of language propel them away from standard meanings and into behaviors that reflect THEIR understanding.
If language is meant to be a form of connection and communication, worshipping at the altar of individualized meaning is not particularly useful.
So, person X says, "Well, this is what the word MEANS TO ME. I can't be wrong in my understanding of words because words have no inherent meaning apart from the meaning that each individual provides to the word. So, because this is what the word MEANS TO ME, the play Hamlet is primarily about the baking of chocolate chip cookies."
Here's what one deconstructionist said, "Deconstruction is not a dismantling of the structure of a text, but a demonstration that it has already dismantled itself. Its apparent solid ground is no rock, but thin air."
If words have no ASCRIBED meaning, but they mean WHATEVER people want them to mean, this has a DIRECT IMPACT on both INTERPRETATION OF TEXT and OUR OWN THINKING.
This means that whatever anyone says about a pre-existing text is TRUE. There is no ascribed meaning, words mean whatever we want them to mean. In other words, it is impossible for a Christian to adopt this view of language and at the same time affirm that the bible has any inherent meaning based on its own text. This means that textual studies of the bible would be intellectual exercises, but ultimately wouldn't matter. What would matter is the meaning that the individual brings to the text based on their own idiosyncratic use of language.
Problematic, eh.
This school of thought, btw, is a direct manifestation of the embracing of moral relativism and the abandonment of inherent underlying structure.
One of the basic concerns of deconstruction is the re-evaluation of all western values based on this idea of inherent contradiction and lack of ability to arrive at a fixed conclusion.
In other words, it's the re-examination of philosophy (which has a ripple effect on all academic fields of study).
It's a step further than the existentialism of Kierkegaard and the nihilism of Nietzsche.
Why should we care, we aren't academics bent over dusty books of philosophy.
As Christians we should care because this kind of relativism in language has a DIRECT IMPACT on biblical studies.
We should also care because the way we use words affects how we think, which in turn affects what we believe about ourselves and the word and how we act.
The perfect example of this is the very conversation about "nice guy." Some men have decided that "nice guy" means weak (although this is not inherent in the meaning of the phrase). Because of this position, they behave accordingly. They have a fear of appearing weak, so they will allow their individualized use of language propel them away from standard meanings and into behaviors that reflect THEIR understanding.
If language is meant to be a form of connection and communication, worshipping at the altar of individualized meaning is not particularly useful.
C
Really... I still don't understand the reason of this thread... nice, kind, whatever... you can take anything and turn its meaning into anything you want...
A person can use the term "nice guy" in a respectful way or in a pejorative way... I guess people just enjoy arguments for the sake of argumet...
Oh well...
A person can use the term "nice guy" in a respectful way or in a pejorative way... I guess people just enjoy arguments for the sake of argumet...
Oh well...
They have a point. Defining "nice guy" a different way under the "words mean whatever we decide they mean" clause opens up a whole other can of worms. Words have power. The world was made with words.
But since words have variable meanings and we can decide what they mean...
Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz.
But since words have variable meanings and we can decide what they mean...
Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz.
C
They have a point. Defining "nice guy" a different way under the "words mean whatever we decide they mean" clause opens up a whole other can of worms. Words have power. The world was made with words.
But since words have variable meanings and we can decide what they mean...
Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz.
But since words have variable meanings and we can decide what they mean...
Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz.
I don't know what that means but it sounds yummy!!! huehuehuehuehue
I'm hungry...
G
They have a point. Defining "nice guy" a different way under the "words mean whatever we decide they mean" clause opens up a whole other can of worms. Words have power. The world was made with words.
But since words have variable meanings and we can decide what they mean...
Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz.
But since words have variable meanings and we can decide what they mean...
Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz.
"Coming up, in the next 24 hours - find out the many different meanings of the words 'Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz'..."
Announcer:
"Coming up, in the next 24 hours - find out the many different meanings of the words 'Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz'..."
"Coming up, in the next 24 hours - find out the many different meanings of the words 'Yagga wump choozle fuggle spuz'..."
This will explain all.
