Let's have an intelligent discussion

[Coolydudey]

The story of these kids was largely to do with prejudice and preconception though. Around the world we still haven't overcome a dislike towards gays and a slightly different behaviour around blacks (perhaps more cautious, so as to avoid unintended racist interpretations of your behaviour). Imagine if it was a boy and a girl doing that in the toilet. The reaction would be so different. Also, the boy would likely get into more trouble (again, sexual preconceptions/fears).

It's really hard to deal with these though, and I'm not sure school can do much about it, as it's mainly family that builds them.

 

[Coolydudey]

Topic change (since nobody else has something they want to discuss) - why does music move us?

When you hear an epic/melancholic/cheerful/whatever song, that you like and that is well put together, it always has a profound effect on you. Is it something intrinsic about the way our brains are wired? Is it some weird accident of evolution that playing three different frequencies can feel either nice/upbeat (major chord) or sad/downbeat (minor chord)?

And, to what extent can you use music to voluntarily steer the course of your life? Clearly, playing a certain sort of track before a specific scheduled event will make you feel a certain way and act slightly (or quite) differently, but how far can this be taken? An interesting side note here, is that music is an extraordinary unifying factor for nations. Think national anthems, folk songs. And in non-english speaking countries, which have their own style of music, it is a very important part of their culture.

 

[The Introvert]

The prison system is based on ethics, yet objective morality doesn't exist.

The interesting facet is that there wouldn't be a designated area. Criminals are free to be "anywhere but here," anywhere except places from which they've been excluded. This would quite literally set up an ethical gradient, wherein those with shared ethics would group together, following the same "rules" set by attractors in physics.

For some reason your suggestion reminds me a bit of the Amsterdam/ Holland scenario.


Also, that NetLogo scenario... is that a real thing or is it hypothetical?

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Also, that NetLogo scenario... is that a real thing or is it hypothetical?

Hypothetical (the model is for predicting crystalline grain formation as a liquid cools into a solid), but the system follows the same rules. Each grain with a given 1/360 degree orientation is akin to an individual with a different ethical orientation.