
Originally Posted by
CajunFun
_ Actually, you've hit on an interesting philosophical question... I think it was Locke who pointed out that the theory of gravity isn't known; just because everything we've ever dropped heads to the floor, is no guarantee that the next time we do it, it will. That sounds ridiculous, but if you are absolutely ruthless and rigorous in your analysis, you can see Locke's point. (And if that still sounds ridiculous, over the past century scientific philosophers have given up on the possibility of "truth"; we simply share paradigms, which shift. Consider how radically our concept of the atom has changed in the past 30 years.)
So we work with the best we have, which are pre-existing patterns. In the case of UL vs State, it's not a single B follows A; it's that it happens repeatedly. In fact, just about every time we do something really innovative, State is quickly all over it. There were still more examples of this (UAM, Cajun language and culture, NIMSAT, biofuels, et al) that I did not even mention.
And I would point out that, except for RCAF (which is really an administrative change, since the ULF was already accepting athletics donations), I really don't know of anything State has originated, that we have been eager to copy.
Does that surprise any of us? I think that innovation is a cultural phenomenon: consider the US vs the rest of the world.
Then, look at the BR and State culture. Are they original, innovative? Not really.
Lafayette & UL, on the other hand, are constantly leading the state, the South, and occasionally the nation, in trying new things.
Where does the innovative culture come from? I could write a book on it, and in fact, I hope to some day. But let me say this much: it's tolerance. Not acceptance, mere tolerance. And part of tolerance is that you don't laugh at people who look different, act different or-- and this is the key point-- think different. (As an aside, look at what a misfit I am, and some of the other Cajun fans are, under the Eauque. As long as you're reasonably polite, you're welcome to participate.)
So you don't have to encourage innovation; you just have to tolerate it; consider the free market, the first amendment, and the democratic process. If you simply tolerate innovation, it will grow like a very valuable weed.
So what are they doing in BR? Look at the way they ridicule us. Look at the way they scoffed at the Cajun culture, until it became internationally popular. Look at the way they make wild fun of anything, and anyone, who is different, who doesn't march to their drumbeat, who doesn't mindlessly bow down to the mediocrity that is our capital city, and our flagship university.
And that my friends, is UL v. State, and Lafayette v. BR, in a nutshell. _