Tuesday, November 30, 2010

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NoodleCast #45: Live Rationally Selfish Webcast

Posted: 30 Nov 2010 09:00 AM PST

On Sunday, Greg Perkins and I hosted another live Rationally Selfish Webcast where I answered people's questions on practical philosophy and living well. The live webcast consists of me broadcasting on video, Greg on audio, and the audience in a text chat. An audio recording is now available as a podcast.

As you'll hear in the podcast, Greg sounds fantastic, but I sound like I'm recording from inside a tin can, yet again. I should have that fixed next week.

At present, these webcasts are held at 9 am MT (8 am PT, 10 am CT, 11 am ET). You can submit and vote on questions for upcoming weeks using the "Idea Informer" widget on the page for Rationally Selfish. (If you enjoy these podcasts, please do that!) That's where you can join Sunday's live webcast too.

As before, I'd ask you to remember that I'm still experimenting with this format, and I have much to learn. Hence, please expect rough edges! Happily, I'm definitely improving.

Webcast Segments

These segments are marked as chapters in the M4A version of this podcast. The links are those referenced in the podcast. (Many thanks to Tammy Perkins for helping me compile these notes!)

Introduction (0:00)

Diana Hsieh: DianaHsieh.com: diana@dianahsieh.com

Greg Perkins: Objectivist Answers: greg@eCosmos.com

Don't forget to submit questions for upcoming webcasts at Rationally Selfish!

Question 1: Productivity Versus Productiveness (2:58)

What is the difference (if any) between 'productiveness' and 'productivity'? People often seem to use the terms interchangeably, but are they the same?

Diana's Money Point: Productivity concerns a person's achievement of his goals effectively and efficiently, whereas productiveness is the virtue of creating the material values required to sustain one's life. Morality requires productiveness, but not maximal productivity.

Question 2: Abuse of Animals (10:51)

Are people who abuse their pets immoral? Or: Should we think ill of someone for neglecting or abusing their pets? If so, why?

Diana's Money Point: A person's treatment of his pets reveals his character, for better or worse.

Question 3: Redemption of Michael Vick (18:10)

How should we judge NFL quarterback Michael Vick? As an animal lover, I was appalled when the NFL allowed Michael Vick to play pro football again after his dog-fighting episodes. But now that he's doing well, part of me wants to cheer for him, telling myself that he's a "reformed man who deserves a second chance". Is that rational of me? How do we know if someone has truly turned over a new leaf morally after prior bad acts?

Is It O.k. To Cheer?, Sport Illustrated, November 29, 2010

Diana's Money Point: Michael Vick seems to have made true steps in the direction of moral reform, and his amazing performance this season seems to be a product of that.

Question 4: Facebook Friends (29:34)

What's a reasonable friending policy for Facebook? I've been getting more Facebook friend requests from people I don't know lately. Should I accept or refuse them?

Diana's Money Point: Adopt a Facebook friending policy that fits with your purpose in using social media.

Question 5: Fighting Apathy (34:58)

How do I fight apathy? How should one go about controlling their emotional response to things better? I have found that a lot of things in life have made me far more apathetic towards life; how should I go about turning this around?

Diana's Money Point: Overcoming any unwanted emotion requires introspection, thought, and action -- over and over again.

Question 6: OA: Cultural Equality (41:26)

From Objectivist Answers: Are all cultures equal? How can you prohibit or restrict anyone's cultural norms or say they're better or worse than our culture? Is there an objective barometer by which this can be achieved?

Diana's Money Point: The proper standard for all moral judgments -- whether of individuals or cultures -- is human life and happiness.

Conclusion (55:18)

Diana Hsieh: DianaHsieh.com: diana@dianahsieh.com

Greg Perkins: Objectivist Answers: greg@eCosmos.com

The video for the webcast is only available for those attending live. After the webcast is completed, you can listen, download, or subscribe to the audio podcast.

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