the seven deadly sins

Sorry about the edit, Nut. I was through my response when I realized I'd clicked the wrong button. Didn't realize mods had the power to edit posts. I hope I restored it back to what it was. :anon:

 

I agree with Larry. President Clinton was taken down for adultery, and I would add hypocrisy, not lust.

 

This is where it gets really interesting. Excellent post!


industry (-slot) -- that is absolutely a virtue of america.

I'd call it busy-ness. We all experience increasing amounts of pressure to squeeze more and more into our day. And the more burned out and tired we are, the bigger badge we get to wear.


chastity (-lust). this is generally reserved for the most pious among us.

Chastity is a joke. It's for people who can't get laid. It's a cause for ridicule. Ask any public school teacher about teaching abstinence in high school.


forgiveness (-wrath). not exactly running rampant in our society.

humility (-pride). occasionally carries the day, but generally the sqeaky wheel gets the grease. but if you're truly humble, it doesn't matter.

These two are definite signs of weakness in the practical world. Revenge is the sweetest dish at the buffet table, and humility is the polar opposite of standing up for your rights.


charity (-greed). we are the most charitable nation on the planet, so it's an interesting dichotomy.

It is, isn't it? Amass all the wealth you can, and you're respected. Give away some to charity and you get a touchy-feely gold star. At least we got that one close to right, IMO. In all fairness, though, it's getting harder to be motivated to give to charity. Many of them are highly corrupt.


(these two are difficult to find real antonyms for, but i think these are close
satisfaction (-envy). interestingly, self-satisfaction is another word for pride. if you're happy with what you have, then you're not living the american dream, it seems to me.

Maybe a better word would be "contentment". While I don't think it's frowned upon, it certainly isn't popular either.


reserve (-gluttony). this sense seems to come and go. these days, it's definitely gone and gluttony rules.

I think the antonym for indulgence has to be discipline. That leads to an interesting paradox, I think. Discipline is taught, but followed immediately by temptation in most cases.

 

the thing about pride, tho, is that we attack people that show too much pride. nobody likes somebody that thinks their shit don't stink. so while i agree that it's america is very proud, i think we've got a good check in the system for knocking people that get too big. maybe a little envy works its way in here.

yeah, contentment is a better antonym for envy. but still, going with the same theme, america is about not being content with what you've got and striving to get more.

the thing about discipline is that it's the root of all problems. if you're not disciplined, you might act on any of the sins. chastity requires discipline, industry, forgiveness, etc. while "reserve" isn't exactly the perfect antonym, it's more along the lines of being measured about how you do things. which i guess could also influence other sins...



on a completely side note, i've had an idea for an RTS game that uses the seven sins and their opposites to drive the populace. each sin/virtue would have slider that influenced the belief system of the current souls being born into your people's territory (in this case, you're in essence playing as a god). the people would react to each other based on their beliefs.

more lust = more population growth, less lust = less population growth
more envy = more expansion, less envy = less expansion
more wrath = more military, less wrath = less military
more gluttony = more use of resources, less gluttony = less use of resources (of course, this would have an influence on health and happiness as well)
more pride = stronger reaction to those that are different, less pride = weaker reaction
more sloth = fewer buildings created, less sloth = more buildings created (tho less time to learn new things)
can't remember how greed worked.

you wouldn't actually have direct control over units like you would in normal RTS games, you'd have to control your units by indirect means -- namely controlling their "soul" beliefs. you could also do miracles to influence people and maybe have a high priest that would be your emissary that you could more directly control... one of many ideas i've got that i'll probably never be able to actually get to.

 

At what point does pride become conceit? Pride still has a good connotation, and conceit is still bad. Whatever point that is, that's where the rest of us like to knock someone else off his or her pedestal.

Agreed. It's much trickier to motivate content people than people who feel something is lacking. It can be done, but it's not as easy.

Excellent point, and I totally agree.

Interesting idea. I bet it would sell, too. That's where you partner with some code wizard who has the time and resources to make it work.

 

President Clinton was taken down because he lied to a grand jury.

 

Don't make me talk to you like I did Brain a little while ago.

 

:apfbbt:

 

You know, after thinking about what happened to President Clinton, can we really say he got "taken down"? Sure he was impeached, but what penalty did he pay? He finished out his second term and is making huge money on the lecture circuit. Or whatever ex-presidents do.

 

There is no such thing as shame anymore. Infamous, famous, whatever. It all gets you on TV (and paid).