On Sunday’s Philosophy in Action Radio, Greg Perkins and I will answer questions on revealing a checkered past, racist names of sports teams, property owners prohibiting firearms, explaining Facebook unfriendings, and more. This episode of internet radio airs at 8 am PT / 9 MT / 10 CT / 11 ET on Sunday, 27 October 2013, in our live studio. If you miss that live broadcast, you can always listen to the podcast later.

This week’s questions are:

• Question 1: Revealing a Checkered Past: How forthcoming should I be with new people I meet about my checkered past? My past is not a source of pride for me. Over four years ago, I read “Atlas Shrugged.” That book altered the radical change I was already bringing into my life for the better. I’ve recently begun meeting other fans of Ayn Rand in real life, and I dislike discussing my white-trash, moocher-esque history with these new acquaintances. (At the time, I was between 17 and 20 years old.) I rarely share these details with other friends, but I fear their judgment less. If I shared my past with these fellow fans of Ayn Rand, I think they might choose to cut ties with me immediately, given that they don’t know me well. However, given my past, I have a clearer understanding of the irrational, twisted, cruel, and nasty nature of people who choose to live like leeches off of other human beings. I think that sharing these experiences with others can be a source of strength to them. (I don’t want others to stumble into these poor decisions when they could do better!) So how much of my past should I share with other people, and how should I share it?
• Question 2: Racist Names of Sports Teams: Should sports teams with racist names change them? Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins has vowed never to the team’s name, insisting that it stands for bravery. I’ve read conflicting reports about polls of Native Americans. Some are offended, and some don’t care. It appears that D.C. area politicians and various academics looking to make names for themselves are leading the charge to change the name, and they seem to have much to gain thereby. Personally, I am not offended by the name, but I wouldn’t go onto a reservation and address the people there as “redskins.” While the name may be racist and offensive to some, is that a sufficient reason to change it?
• Question 3: Property Owners Prohibiting Firearms: Should a person respect signs prohibiting guns in certain areas? Some businesses and government offices announce that firearms are prohibited in the building, yet no screening is conducted to ensure that firearms are excluded. In such “pretend gun-free zones,” law-abiding people will disarm, while criminals and other dangerous or careless people will not. Is this a violation of a person’s right to self-defense? Should people refuse to disarm in face of such signs?
• Question 4: Explaining Facebook Unfriendings: Does a person owe others an explanation for unfriending them on Facebook? I’m “friends” with many people on Facebook who I can’t stand and with whom I would never willingly spend time in real life. I’ve purged many Facebook friends I didn’t really know and/or who’ve contributed nothing of value to my life, all for the better. Now I am considering whether to unfriend former lovers and one-time real life friends from my youth for a host of insurmountable reasons – for example, our politics don’t jive, I’m annoyed by seeing endless photos of their pets, and so on. Odds are I will never have any dealings with these people again, mostly because I don’t want to. Do I owe them an explanation for the unfriending?

After that, we’ll tackle some impromptu “Rapid Fire Questions.”

To join the live broadcast and its chat, just point your browser to Philosophy in Action’s Live Studio a few minutes before the show is scheduled to start. By listening live, you can share your thoughts with other listeners and ask us follow-up questions in the text chat.

If you miss the live broadcast, you’ll find the podcast from the episode posted in the archive: Radio Archive: Q&A: Checkered Pasts, Racist Names, Gun Rights, and More. It will be posted on Monday morning, if not sooner. You can automatically download that and other podcasts by subscribing to Philosophy in Action’s Podcast RSS Feed:

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I hope you join us on Sunday morning… and please share this announcement with any friends interested in these topics!

Philosophy in Action Radio applies rational principles to the challenges of real life in live internet radio shows on Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Episodes on Tap. For podcasts of past shows, visit the Show Archives.