Not structurally speaking? You'll have to elaborate if not.

You said:

>Rights are negative, not positive.

I think this is as arbitrary as defining a reference point or normalizing chosen constants to 1. Maybe even more arbitrary than that. Your focus on that structural definition implies to me that we have very different focus in the first place.

It's also outside of the point I was discussing, and I didn't claim you defined rights (edit: fair, i did use the word definition initially), just that we have different positions on what little we've discussed on them.

And so the conversation veers further and becomes further confused...

"No"

Sure it's a refutation technically, but what I meant (my bad - I should have been more specific), is that it's not a strong or logical one. I was using " refutation" in a more limited scope than you possibly were. A solid refutation would require you to elaborate on why enrichment is not a human need, after I talked a bit in my first comment about how abstract concepts like that are.To be fair, I could have added more evidence as to why I understand them to be needs.

Your definition of rights is arbitrary to me (i edited my last comment too late). Also to be fair to you, I wasn't really talking about rights. Just needs. All I was addressing were needs.

You should actually read my first comment. It doesn't seem like you did. That said (partially because of that), any discussion on this might not go anywhere, and I will possibly not respond again as a result. I've been on your side of things, and I don't think your position on needs (and possibly rights, based on the few words youve said on them) is convincing or compelling, so this is becoming increasingly pointless to me, to be honest. You're talking past me, and don't seem interested in reading my comment. I'm talking past you. Kind of pointless.

That's not a refutation of the point, and I have to conclude from that that you fail to understand humans and our needs on the whole.

I think you're misunderstanding what I said as well. I disagreed with you that libraries don't fulfill any human needs and therefore should not be subsidized, and argued to the needs that libraries do absolutely serve. I also disagreed with your (implied) denial of abstract and intangible things (like entertainment and enrichment) as human needs.

Edit: also "rights are negative" seems arbitrary to me. Depends entirely on where you place your reference point.

And yet, food stamps for struggling populations. You're unable or unwilling to acknowledge the human rights that libraries serve and completion of, yes, needs that they do fulfill, be it education (self, or library sponsored classes, talks), or something like access to the internet (definitely a need in the modern age), to access to printers.

Beyond the obvious easy needs like internet access and printer access, your understanding of human needs also sucks frankly. Life would be cleaner if we were robotic AIs that only needed fuel, sure. But, fortunately or unfortunately, human needs do extend beyond concrete and material physical needs. We need stimulation and enrichment for our well-being. Libraries are set up to provide that effectively, especially in disadvantaged populations, be it in entertainment, education, or simple support via a warm place to gather for social interaction. Maybe even support community togetherness, getting to know your neighbors, etc, which can be an invaluable part of a strong, successful community.

Library services benefit people, in abstract ways (supporting educated, happy, and competent workers) as well as concrete ways, that in turn can benefit society.

They also make for efficient use of resources. Borrowing is beneficial for our environment, and for people's bottom line, which can also then turn around to help people invest in the economy or support themselves in other ways so the state doesn't have to. Libraries also lend other things that can lead to self sufficient members of society: I know of libraries that "loan" seeds so that members can grow vegetable gardens. Libraries can also loan things like cooking equipment, chargers, and technology people might, yes, need in order to support themselves and their families.

You're not being so logical as you think you are. Thats the pitfall of a lot of republican ideal, in my experience as an ex republican. Lots of talk of "cold hard facts" without a lot of substance to them or true exploration of the background of them.

Frankly, your argument is the easy way out, and it's driven by more personal opinion and experience than you likely realize or would be able to admit.

100% with you here, and what you say about the different effects of the differently paced scenes! I'm so happy you appreciated the scene in its full written glory!

Disagree in context of the book, agree in context of motivational quotes. Distilling eowyn and "motivation" down to... being a woman? Lame as fuck. Being a woman is not what makes any woman great, is not where intrinsic worth lies.

But as to the quote being badass,

Context: you snuck into a fierce battle, facing your death and doom for the glimmer of hope if saving your world, when you see basically evil incarnate, a massive, powerful foe, strike down your beloved uncle who's basically a father figure to you and your brother. With fierce courage, maybe passionate stupidity, swept up in the intensity and absurdity of the hopeless battle you marched into, you put yourself between this foe and your dying uncle.

>'Begone, foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!'
A cold voice answered: 'Come not between the Nazgûl and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shrivelled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye.'
A sword rang as it was drawn. 'Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may.'
'Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!'
Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. 'But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund's daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.'
The winged creature screamed at her, but the Ringwraith made no answer, and was silent, as if in sudden doubt. Very amazement for a moment conquered Merry's fear. He opened his eyes and the blackness was lifted from them. There some paces from him sat the great beast, and all seemed dark about it, and above it loomed the Nazgûl Lord like a shadow of despair. A little to the left facing them stood she whom he had called Dernhelm. But the helm of her secrecy, had fallen from her, and her bright hair, released from its bonds, gleamed with pale gold upon her shoulders. Her eyes grey as the sea were hard and fell, and yet tears were on her cheek. A sword was in her hand, and she raised her shield against the horror of her enemy's eyes.
Éowyn it was, and Dernhelm also. For into Merry's mind flashed the memory of the face that he saw at the riding from Dunharrow: the face of one that goes seeking death, having no hope. Pity filled his heart and great wonder, and suddenly the slow-kindled courage of his race awoke. He clenched his hand. She should not die, so fair, so desperate At least she should not die alone, unaided.
The face of their enemy was not turned towards him, but still he hardly dared to move, dreading lest the deadly eyes should fall on him. Slowly, slowly he began to crawl aside; but the Black Captain, in doubt and malice intent upon the woman before him, heeded him no more than a worm in the mud.
Suddenly the great beast beat its hideous wings, and the wind of them was foul. Again it leaped into the air, and then swiftly fell down upon Éowyn, shrieking, striking with beak and claw. Still she did not blench: maiden of the Rohirrim, child of kings, slender but as a steel-blade, fair but terrible. A swift stroke she dealt, skilled and deadly. The outstretched neck she clove asunder, and the hewn head fell like a stone. Backward she sprang as the huge shape crashed to ruin, vast wings outspread, crumpled on the earth; and with its fall the shadow passed away. A light fell about her, and her hair shone in the sunrise.
Out of the wreck rose the Black Rider, tall and threatening, towering above her. With a cry of hatred that stung the very ears like venom he let fall his mace. Her shield was shivered in many pieces, and her arm was broken; she stumbled to her knees. He bent over her like a cloud, and his eyes glittered; he raised his mace to kill.
But suddenly he too stumbled forward with a cry of bitter pain, and his stroke went wide, driving into the ground. Merry's sword had stabbed him from behind, shearing through the black mantle, and passing up beneath the hauberk had pierced the sinew behind his mighty knee. 'Éowyn! Éowyn!' cried Merry. Then tottering, struggling up, with her last strength she drove her sword between crown and mantle, as the great shoulders bowed before her. The sword broke sparkling into many shards. The crown rolled away with a clang. Éowyn fell forward upon her fallen foe. But lo! the mantle and hauberk were empty. Shapeless they lay now on the ground, torn and tumbled; and a cry went up into the shuddering air, and faded to a shrill wailing, passing with the wind, a voice bodiless and thin that died, and was swallowed up, and was never heard again in that age of this world

Tldr- it's a clever play on words Eowyn, represented consistently as an intelligent and thoughtful character, made in an absurd moment. Like you're on the brink of death, and a monster says "mankind can't kill me," but uses the word "man," so you jump in with a pun that kind of upends their confident statement. Fits with the wording of prophesy? Check. Why not? A lot of the magic and power in LotR is that of the magic and power of words and intent. This moment supports that wonderfully with a play on words and words and intent as an encouragement, that allows Merry to overcome his own fear, and leading to his ability to make a very helpful assist.

I think the movie actually ruined this moment. I can understand why you didn't like it in the movie. I was disappointed in it in the movie. It's everything in the book, even as someone who was sensitive to things that were too "girl power"-y when I first read the books.

Just a comment to say, I don't know you, but I'm proud of you. Youre being more thoughtful than I am sometimes, and it gives me hope for the future. If I ever have kids, I hope I can nurture this same sort of kind and intelligent thoughtfulness in them as you're showing in your comments. Youre doing just fine!

>There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me. Only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our life styles are probably comparable, I simply am not there.

Ah I see. In that case I'd say it's probably a combination of bots, non native English speakers (I'd have to look it up, but I read an article about it and I believe native English speakers are now outnumbered by non-native English speakers), auto correct, etc. There has definitely been an increase in bots, though they'll often reuse titles, so they dont always have grammar and spelling mistakes

This op has said something about not speaking English as a native language - they post in a handful of specific enough subs that I'd say it's just non-native English