What if the binary choices created by and offered in the social media world are BS? What if you are, heaven forbid…an independent thinker? Read on…
What if the binary choices created by and offered in the social media world are BS? What if you are, heaven forbid…an independent thinker? Read on…
My email is already used by another family account on WordPress, so I can’t comment on the original article using this handle.
Stereotypes are useful because they’re usually right for surface level stuff. I think that most of us know that once you’re beyond surface impressions every individual will be different from the stereotype in many (usually innocuous) ways. The either/or questions raised are to determine which stereotype group you fit into as asked by someone who is in a fringe group themselves (because those are the choices, as they see them, from their worldview).
The part that I don’t like about some family gatherings is that low information Inlaws, who had previously agreed “no politics tonight”, just can’t resist drive-by comments and turn cry-bully when I ask if they want to know what facts their missing or start getting Socratic on them to show that they can’t back up what they’re saying (and that it goes against how they stated they look at the world). Then I’m the bad guy. Last lazy Saturday that in-laws tried this I just smiled and said “do you want to know how and why you’re wrong, or should we agree that I know more about this than you do and drop it?” They were angry, but dropped it.
My wife still insists I was the bad guy for talking so meanly.
To paraphrase an old adage: It’s difficult to argue with stupid people because they tend to drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
Now, that brought a smile to my face. Happy Thanks Giving.
The good news about the coronavirus limit on social gatherings is that we now have an excuse not to invite those tiresome relatives who always insist on turning every family gathering into a political discussion, and we can finally eat our turkey dinner in peace and harmony. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
Tell me where, and in what land, was independent thought ever valued?
The Truth shall set men free. That is why our masters have always blotted it out at any price. Jesus was crucified for telling it.
A country where children were taught to think for themselves and seek the Truth themselves could not be easily ruled by followers of the Father of Lies.
England did at one time. Not everywhere, but the industrial revolution, with Nucomen’s steam engine Watts improvements upon it, weren’t effete high society.
The US became the masters of it though, JC Penny, Woodward, Ford, Edison’s laboratory… those who create can prosper (less so those working for Edison, I know).
Hoo boy, I really have trouble keeping my mouth shut, and get in to trouble when I don’t. I try, I really do, but as most know, when someone spouts off stupid things, a retort is not easy to suppress. Its actually fairly rare that I come across a lefty or ill informed type, and in general, conversations are agreeable. That’s why I am completely mystified that the Libs get in, but I do live on the left coast.
Again on this left coast the Horgan NDP rule the roost, and are gaming another election this month, so again I’m mystified that the NDP get in, in BC over and over. We never learn, even that we know electing the same stupids every time gets us the same darn result as before!
I did have a conversation with an in law a few weeks back, who, though not a rabid lefty, was aghast when I indicated I support Trump, but I stopped her cold with, “would you prefer the alternative?” US politics is an entertaining three ring circus, with a fourth and fifth ring on the side, that would really be fun, if the results were not so important. I really do see a civil war rising after the November elections. I am also of the opinion that there will be years of homelessness, poverty, starvation, high crime, murders and suicides, and what ever else we can imagine. The fact that we can’t do anything about it is also as frustrating as fishing in your own toilet.
Gerry
Horgan took reigns of government, thanks to a heavy protest vote against Christy Clark, benefiting the Greens, who decided, mistakenly, to make a deal with the devil. And of course, that deal has been terminated by said devil.
How now will Horgan get re-elected? Free shit. Class war. Massive deficit spending. Socialist trademarks. It all feels SO GOOD getting free shit.
Neither of the parties get my vote, certainly not the aforementioned, nor the Liberals, despite they being the best chance to toss the Commies. They are all for massive deficit spending, free shit, carbon taxes, subsidizing “green” projects, etc. None are for responsible government, all are for reckless deficits.
So, if there are any politicos from the BCLibs reading this, understand this. Your coalition doesn’t work anymore, you are nothing more than Trudeau’s left coast branch. I’ve walked away, when the choice is NDP lite (Libs), NDP or NDP radical (Greens), the answer is NONE OF THE ABOVE.
I have a relative who lives on Vancouver Island. I spoke with her on the telephone a few days ago and she didn’t have much good to say about Horganweaver or Clark.
The same could be said about the Sask Party, a coalition between the Liberals and Conservatives. The Sask Party is run by the Liberals who are in Turdeau’s back pocket. Expect the Buffalo Party to show some strength come October 26.
DanBC,
I had that chat with the wife the other day, she said, “there are no conservatives in this election, what or who should we vote for?” My reply, “There’s no vote for sanity anywhere on the ticket, so there is no point in voting at all. “Dan, I don’t follow Provincial politics deeply, but I recall an attempt to revive a conservative or right leaning party a couple of elections back, do you know if any of it came to fruition? Or did it just die a frigid death out in the cold?
For BC, I agree, NONE OF THE ABOVE.
I may have a relative showing up at the dinner tomorrow at my brothers. He is notorious for his leftist BS and idiot remarks about President Trump. I’ve decided that if he is there and opens his mouth I’ll just respond: “XXXXXX, I don’t give a shit what you think. I’m here to enjoy a meal.”
Ask him shouldn’t he be in his rathole apartment, soiling his daiper with fright at the thought of his extended family giving him the American flu?
He knows better. He just wants an excuse to rant and rave about Trump and the Jews, who are obviously the reason he has never amounted to anything more than the relative everybody dreads having to deal with at Thanksgiving.
What I want to know is why he’s welcome at all.
Or, how about “Yeah, Trump’s pretty outrageous sometimes. Problem is, the Democrats are far scarier”
DanBC, Yup, which was my point on my post above. They are way beyond scary. If they get in, our world will be changed beyond recognition, a desolate landscape.
Trump says outrageous things. Democrats DO outrageous things.
In the US, ultimately you have to make a binary choice, Republican or Democrat. If your different political beliefs fall on both sides, then you must make a decision which ones are most important to you.
Specifically, take your examples of apparently contradictory beliefs:
If you believe the swamp needs draining, then you must know there is only one person in politics who is capable of doing it, or at least make a decent effort.
Why do you believe BLM is a good thing? You must believe there is systemic racism in the US. If so, it has nothing to do with Trump. Trump is a president who happens to believe in the Constitution, that we are a federation of states, that is why he has basically kept his hands off the local riots.
It is difficult to think someone can believe climate change is an existential threat to mankind, and not doing everything possible to stop it, including stopping the free market.
What do free markets have to do with masks?
What does non-seriousness of COVID-19 have to do with systemic racism?
etc.
It is not accidental that issues line up on different sides. The primary issue is individual freedom vs. state control.
The swamp IS state control.
BLM advocates state control.
New Green Deal advocates state control.rop
Restriction of energy production advocates state control.
Exaggeration of seriousness of COVID-19 advocates state control.
Those who advocate state control overstate, or simply lie, about the seriousness of problems, if they even exist at all. There is no systemic racism in the US. There is no anthropogenic global warming. COVID-19 is under control as well as any other flu, and does not require societal shut down.
Actually those who advocate control want to go beyond state control to global control. That is why they want to destroy borders, to migration and to commerce.
All those positions are consistent. To repeat myself, they do not arbitrarily fall randomly on one side or another of the political spectrum.