My reply to Peter.

I said I'd be back with a fuller reply to your answer to my rantings about the imminent demise of western civilization,Peter but I somehow feel the moment has passed.. I think it's just a case of different personalities seeing things in different ways,and from different viewpoints. I'm reading a biography of Jung at the moment and what he says about the basic characteristics of the introvert and extrovert psychological types (terms that he invented, in fact) is very interesting. He says the introvert thinks and the extrovert feels. I think that's very true,it certainly applies to everyone I know. I'm a typical introvert,an intellectual hermit who lives among books and music and I definitely think my way through life rather than feel,I would hazard a guess that you're more an extrovert type who might not feel your way through life more than think but probably has more of the one than the other,or at least a more balanced view than the objective,detached, "clinical" way of looking at life,the universe and everything that I have. Consequently our differing views of the world.

Added to this comes the fact that I have been more than a little cynical and more than a little misanthropic at least since my mid teens when I was a precocius budding intellectual (somewhat like Adrian Mole with an attitude), and I remember starting to rant about the decline of western civilization since about the age of 14 and since I'm now a grizzled old timer of 40 it has become an ingrained part of my personality that will definitely take some shifting! This became rather an extensive post anyway,despite my intentions.. And with probably the record amount of 'smile' emoticons in any post ever!.

 Yer a pal, Pixie!

 Yes, probably down to differing worldviews -- but no barrier to getting along here, with a little effort....