[soheil]

Just because he wrote some code that was used so widely doesn't make him more significant than a janitor who cleans after you, or the "gang" member who was evading the brutal cops for a chance for his freedom. The sooner we realize people are equal because they're human fucking beings the greater hope for humanity to avoid its imminent demise.

[sejje]

What makes someone more significant, then? What's your measure?

People aren't equal, you can't make it so by saying it.

The man who died was more significant than the man who killed him.

[soheil]

It's like asking what makes 5 greater than 5. Humans are all significant simply because they have rational minds and are rational beings. A human being cannot impose on others a value or worthiness, because we are rational beings and have independent minds. As you probably have noticed by now this is not me saying these things, it's from Immanuel Kant. I found these lectures on the topic absolutely amazing to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBdfcR-8hEY

[jpgvm]

It's worth mentioning that all humans are -humans- just like 5 == 5.

However, the fact humans are humans doesn't make them equal. Unlike a number humans have dimensionality. They can be taller, shorter, stronger, weaker, smarter, dumber, richer, poorer etc. Along with any number of other attributes like job, geographical location, father, mother etc.

Equality is a very precise thing and humans are anything but equal.

[CamperBob2]

You need to read some more philosophy (or, I guess, watch some more.) By asserting unconditional equality, you deny the existence of the will. That position can be defended, but I'm skeptical that you're up to the task at the moment.

[tomjen3]

Gang members are absolutely not equal humans, as they make their life by taking, not creating. Janitors do.

[thomasz]

Maybe we should concentrate them in some sort of camps so that they can't 'take' from the good ones anymore.

[tomjen3]

Isn't that pretty much what we do with prisons?

And the US has the longest sentences, but apparently that isn't enough.

[wavefunction]

We call them prisons, you may have heard about them.

[CamperBob2]

Wow, this post is crazy enough to deserve its own DSM V entry.