Society/Culture Liam Neeson: Should we be condemned for thinking the wrong thoughts?

Sep 15, 2007
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Should Liam Neesons career be ruined just cos he thought and did not act on something whilst in a state of extreme emotional distress? This sounds very scary to me and very 1984ish. Is this the way the left really wants to go?

We are all born racists. Our innate (the ones we come pre programmed with) intuitional algorithms are designed to discriminate against foriegners as a default position for good evolutionary reason (at least it was good in the time of our ancestors). We learn that acting racist is not in our or others best interests in the modern world through reason. We can eventually also intuitively reject racism as a default response by learning to reject it. This can be done through either the weight of experience in a society where there is no benefit to being racist or it can be learned through deliberate mental training.

After an extremely upsetting event our intuitions take control of our thoughts. Reason is still in the background but will only intervene if things get serious. Clearly in the case of Neeson his intuitions had taken over his thought process. This is completely understandable given the circumstances. And given he grew up in pre 1990s Ireland it would of been very difficult to intuitively learn to reject racism as a default emotional response. Its his innate racist intuitions that therefore would be in full control of his thoughts during times of emotional distress. However, this doesnt mean he would of acted on them. To commit violence is a serious action. For most people (not all but most) reason would kick in when we come to the point of facing the decision of whether to act on our intuitions. But we never get to this point in the Neeson story. He never faced that decision and never acted on it. We dont know what he would of done had he faced the decision but surely it seems extremely likely he would of backed down. This is because this is what most people do and as far as we know it was a one off thought experience for Neeson and he clearly admits it was wrong when rationally explaining the story.

So why are we condemning him? Surely given the circumstances and the fact no action took place nor was likely to take place that this should be a non story let alone one worthy of punishment. We need to face up to the fact we are born intuitively racist as its the only way we can learn to combat racism. To punish those for doing nothing more than briefly losing rational control of their thought processes during any time let alone highly emotional times is very scary cos it happens to all of us on a regular basis. We are all guilty of it.

Its always action that should be condemned and not thoughts. Do you really think Neeson should be punished for his thoughts? Is this the world you want to live in?
 
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Macpotata

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what did he do exactly? i live under a rock
One shaped like an American football.

Me too for that matter. And also one shaped like an American football. I heard something but not sure exactly what was said/did.


Also, don't believe everything you hear. Maybe he did what he's accused, maybe not. But so many campaigners are full of s**t and funnily enough I was googling false accusations 10 seconds before I read this post.
 
Sep 15, 2007
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One shaped like an American football.

Me too for that matter. And also one shaped like an American football. I heard something but not sure exactly what was said/did.


Also, don't believe everything you hear. Maybe he did what he's accused, maybe not. But so many campaigners are full of s**t and funnily enough I was googling false accusations 10 seconds before I read this post.
He hasnt been accused of commiting a crime. He voluntarily told this story about his thoughts of revenge against a race because he used it for motivation in his latest movie. Twitter has erupted, his movies opening night was cancelled and there are talks he will never work in Holllywood again. All because of his thoughts.
 
Sep 15, 2007
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what did he do exactly? i live under a rock
In the distant past his friend got raped by a black person. He said it made him so angry he started walking the streets trying to find any black person he saw so he could beat and even kill them. As far as anyone knows he never encountered a black person, no crime was committed and he calmed down and then realised how wrong his thoughts were.

Twitter went nuts and now there is talk he will be banned from hollywood and airbrushed out of his latest film. He is basically getting the Spacey treatment despite never commiting any crime. No one is suggesting he committed a crime either. Its all just for thinking bad thoughts whilst highly distressed.
 
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In the distant past his friend got raped by a black person. He said it made him so angry he started walking the streets trying to find any black person he saw so he could beat and even kill them. As far as anyone knows he never encountered a black person, no crime was committed and he calmed down and then realised how wrong his thoughts were.

Twitter went nuts and now there is talk he will be banned from hollywood and airbrushed out of his latest film. He is basically getting the Spacey treatment despite never commiting any crime. No one is suggesting he committed a crime either. Its all just for thinking bad thoughts whilst highly distressed.
maybe its just him method acting? this is what MAs do to get into a role.
 
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Yeah, he had some ****ed up thoughts in response to a very traumatic situation. As far as I'm aware he didn't actually do anything. He obviously learned a great deal about himself and regrets the situation immensely.

But this is 2019 so of course he gets a Twitter mob going after him for something that happened 20 years ago. Love how people seem more concerned for the guys that Liam Neeson didn't hurt instead of the woman who was actually raped.
 

EasternTiger

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You go out, you give an interview...

'Just taking it one movie at a time, director was amazing, can't thank the other actors enough, badda bing badda bang.'

Well at least now we know a cosh is a potentially deadly weapon.

Maybe he can team up with Roseanne Barr and do Taken 5 - Please Just Kill The Bitch.
 

Macpotata

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Yeah can't come out publicly and say what he did. Ever really, but yes especially these days.

I understand why he felt the way he did even though it's wrong and he realised that. If it were a white person what are you going to go around killing every white person.

Silly for coming out and saying it, but I guess like the time when it happened, he clearly wasn't thinking straight.



No one's perfect.
 
If I'm being honest, Neeson coming out with this story gives a good opportunity to discuss intrusive thoughts and rationalisation of anger in response to traumatic events, not to mention the lessons that he himself had to learn in order to move past his racial hatred.

It's a shame that it's been hijacked by *s looking to score morality points by showing their virtue through tough talk on twitter because nothing good will come of this now.
 
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Yeah, he had some ****ed up thoughts in response to a very traumatic situation. As far as I'm aware he didn't actually do anything. He obviously learned a great deal about himself and regrets the situation immensely.

But this is 2019 so of course he gets a Twitter mob going after him for something that happened 20 years ago. Love how people seem more concerned for the guys that Liam Neeson didn't hurt instead of the woman who was actually raped.

Twitter is the devil's work.
 
Sep 15, 2007
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Yeah can't come out publicly and say what he did. Ever really, but yes especially these days.

I understand why he felt the way he did even though it's wrong and he realised that. If it were a white person what are you going to go around killing every white person.

Silly for coming out and saying it, but I guess like the time when it happened, he clearly wasn't thinking straight.



No one's perfect.
It was silly. But should he be seriously punished for it.
 

Bomberboyokay

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I think his career is fine but of course it was going to get some attention. The country he lives and works in has 45 million black people.

And "thinking the wrong thoughts" is not the same as telling things to a journalist on the record.
 
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I'm constantly murdering people in my head because they're idiots. The thought of choking someone out and watching consciousness slip from their terrified eyes while I grin from ear to ear, staring straight back at them gets me through every day at work.

But it's cool - I'm not a racist like Liam Neeson.
 
Sep 15, 2007
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I think his career is fine but of course it was going to get some attention. The country he lives and works in has 45 million black people.

And "thinking the wrong thoughts" is not the same as telling things to a journalist on the record.
But he is only telling the journalist his thoughts. Thoughts become wrong when they turn into action or deliberately incite others into action. Otherwise surely explaining our thoughts is not wrong.
 

EasternTiger

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I'm constantly murdering people in my head because they're idiots. The thought of choking someone out and watching consciousness slip from their terrified eyes while I grin from ear to ear, staring straight back at them gets me through every day at work.
Oh come on, Bolton is not that bad a coach.
 
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