Day Three - Individualism

So - yesterday... ideas about places and socializing and the public domain/public commons were noted. Today I went to a lunchtime discussion group where membership in the Jewish people was the topic of discussion and non-membership was the angle from which that was looked at. In other words - what constitutes heresy and such.

Circumcision or its lack was noted a primary sign. It was also noted that such a sign was private and usually not seen. At least in todays world!!!! In Biblical times when the Greeks were ascendant there was much nudity. Furthermore, in the Middle East, the climate was such that nudity or near-nudity might have been somewhat normal. Or not.... The point is... that there was significant nudity at the time and now there is not. Why????? Hmmmm.....

The point I want to pursue... relative is relative to the privacy issue and contrasting privacy with the public display of group membership. There is power in numbers, right? There is comfort in knowing you are part of the group... or more specifically the right group. It is better to be in than out, right? etc.... etc...

Ones thinking is private. There is the secret ballot in our democracy.

There are mobs and mob behavours.

There is the common good.

There is one's private hell.

There is Spock and personal sacrifice for the group/crew/etc...