On Thu, 10 Jun 2004, Laurence F. Sheldon, Jr. wrote:
But ultimately, _you_ are responsible for your own systems.
Even if the water company is sending me 85% TriChlorEthane?
Which water company is sending you 85% TriChlorEthane? More than likely its your next door neighbor with a defective system leaking it. The water company didn't put TriChlorEthane in the water, someone else did.
Right. Got it. The victim is always responsible.
Who is the perpetrator and who is the victim? The mistake is trying to put the blame on one of the parties, which isn't responsible for it. Blaming the water company simply distracts you from fixing the real problem, your neighbor's chemical waste dump. If your ISP tells you your computer is infected, do you have any responsibility to fix your computer? If you fail to fix your computer, or have it fixed, are you still an "innocent" victim or have you become part of the problem? Have you become the chemical waste dump, and you are now responsible for dumping 85% TriChlorEthane in your neighbor's water?