A Chicago Tribune article discussed how people are unfriending each other over political rants. I enjoyed the article, but I was especially intrigued over a word they mentioned, parrhesia.

quote:

"What makes a democracy work is this thing that Socrates called 'parrhesia,' the ability to speak truth to each other in public," Zoloth said. "You need a friend who will listen to you, and you need the courage to speak and the courage to hear."

Wikipedia says that it's borrowed from:

quote:

the Greek παρρησία (πᾶν "all" + ῥῆσις / ῥῆμα "utterance, speech") meaning literally "to speak everything" and by extension "to speak freely," "to speak boldly," or "boldness." It implies not only freedom of speech, but the obligation to speak the truth for the common good, even at personal risk.

What a great word. Have any of you heard of it...or used it?

I've never heard of the word.

Soon after I joined FB I started playing one of the Flash games and playing the game with any success seemed to rely on large numbers of 'friends' who also played. I therefore 'made' several hundreds of FB friends. I've stopped playing now but although a few people unfriended me immediately most remain through inertia.

However, over the last few weeks my feed has been clogged by political posts and I've taken to unfriending the worst offenders (on both sides). Since they were never really friends in the first place it's no great loss. I know I could simply hide their posts or filter out the political ones, but unfriending is simplest.

I disagree with the article about the danger of people 'unfriending' people in real life, though. Apart from a few really sad people I don't doubt that everyone can tell the difference.

And then there are Facebookers or LinkedIners like me, who never realize if somebody unfriends me or not. In fact, I haven't checked Facebook lately to see all the rants. I am sure I have some. I'll have to check for a chuckle.

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
And then there are Facebookers or LinkedIners like me, who never realize if somebody unfriends me or not. In fact, I haven't checked Facebook lately to see all the rants. I am sure I have some. I'll have to check for a chuckle.

I have just joined Facebook and my first post is a really sad one.

On Sunday we lost Ettie through an electrical fire - Ettie being our old VW Camper in whose comfortable bed we have spend many happy nights away.

Fortunately the insurance will cover the loss and we have already found a replacement van - but it'll never be the same, I fear.

Like your first lover, your first camper is somthing you never forget.

I saw that, RE. My condolences on your loss.

How long did you have Ettie?

We had Ettie for about 4 years.

I thought you had gotten it fairly recently. I remember your talking about it. You have used it a lot while traveling? I don't remember that.

Time flies, does it not? We acquired Ettie on 09 July 2007 - so it's actually 5 years. And yes, we have spent many a happy night on board.