To me, Larry Flynt is a regular businessman in the business of sleaze, whereas Jerry Falwell was a sleazy operator in what should not be a business at all. I object to the likes of Mr Falwell strongly enough that I cannot imagine being able to treat him with basic courtesy for more than the briefest of contacts.
But betrayal? Larry Flynt owes me nothing, least of all to share my point of view. And as a general principle, disagreeing with someone is no reason to dislike them, let alone abandon courtesy. Come to that, I am just as likely to respect and like people with whom I disagree, as those with whom I agree. The world would be a very dull place without variety of opinion and how someone arrives at and defends his/her conclusions, are much better guides to character and intellect, than the conclusions themselves.
But betrayal? Larry Flynt owes me nothing, least of all to share my point of view. And as a general principle, disagreeing with someone is no reason to dislike them, let alone abandon courtesy. Come to that, I am just as likely to respect and like people with whom I disagree, as those with whom I agree. The world would be a very dull place without variety of opinion and how someone arrives at and defends his/her conclusions, are much better guides to character and intellect, than the conclusions themselves.
Comment