Interesting question, sir! Good thoughts.
: This is totally unrelated to Myth, so any myth and myth
: only fanatics please just ignore this.
*Laughs.* That counts me out. *Winks.*
: In my words: "The powerful have a duty to use their
: powers for the equal benefit of all."
Aye, as opposed to "might makes right", "right makes might"...which makes more sense in German, but still is a knightly attitude.
: So, what does this mean?
: Does this mean that the strong should always help the
: weak, without seeking payment or glory or anything
: like that?
Yes.
: What is our Social Duty, as members of (mostly) free
: nations to our fellow citizens, and indeed, our fellow
: humans?
To uphold justice, have compassion, and preserve human rights.
: Do we bind ourselves to a code of honour?
Yes. In fact, take a look at "A Knight's Way" at my website:
http://chevalier.cjb.net/
: (British
: spelling makes it sound stronger, don't ask me why I
: think that)
Heh, I'm going to have to disagree for a number of arbitrary reasons...pardon this difference of opinion, good Britons.
The word comes form the Latin honos of the same meaning (and the Romans were the origin and example of chivarly and honor as they came to be known centuries later), which then moved into Old French as the word honor, identical in spelling to that of the American dialect of the modern word. So, the Normans then crashed into Britain and brought along all their Old French, instilling the word "honor" into English vocabulary...but then the French eventually changed to have their word get some funny extra letters, the modern French having honneur.
So the modern British have Gallicized themselves to be more French! Good gracious, I can't imagine a Briton wanting to sound French instead of Roman.
There are many words that the British have in their dialect which were decidely "too French" for the likes of the early Americans. So, the scholars and writers of the far continent decided to make English more Classical again, such as with Middle English spellings like "honor" and others to have English resemble Latin more than French.
I believe that the original spelling representing more closely the Roman honor is better than representing some kind of anti-England French honour.
: Or are we justified in not looking out for the interests
: of others at all, and seeking our in survival in a dog
: eat dog world?
Never, though our first duty is altruism to our own countrymen, and then the rest of the world.
: Should we fight for freedom at any cost or order at any
: cost?
I realize it was just a movie, but William Wallace said it pretty well in Braveheart.
As for Order versus Chaos, Myth should have taught us one thing: Evil comes in both forms, both extremes being the bad. Complete liberalism turns into radicalism and anarchy. Complete conservativism turns into fascism and totalitry. If you read the legend of this painting,
http://www.jonathonart.com/inv.html
which is here,
http://www.jonathonart.com/inv-l.html
you'll get an idea of how we should probably be looking at things as far as politics goes.
As far as Myth being a good example, Balor was a Leveler by Order (the Nazis), whereas Moagim was a Leveler by Chaos (the Soviets).
: Should we set up a truely socialist goverment?
Like Plato's Republic ? I don't think so...I like to make love when I want to, thank you very much.
: A fundementalist?
Like the Middle Eastern nations? Umm...no thanks.
: A pure capitalist?
That would be about zero influence of the government in economic affairs, and that caused the Stock Market to crash in 1929, which eventually caused Germany to be so poor and desperate that they would look to anyone for a scapegoat, just to get a little food and a little pride, even if it came from Satan incarnate himself (which it did).
: A what?
I think society is evolving on its own course fairly well, slowly but surely... What we need is not for a different governement, but for a different culture. People need to change their primal and immature attitudes, and grow up and be men and women, not children who steal and cheat others.
: Note: this is a discussion of ideals, not realities.
Ah, then come to my quixotic idealism: http://chevalier.cjb.net/
: Seraph
: He Who Talks Too Much
: Seraph of the Many Words
Heh, I thought that title was mine. *Winks.* Or did Sili want it back? *Grins.*
