Give us an example, Mark. Start a thread and let's see what happens. (you're the tike)
Obfuscation, bubba style.
- Thread starter lonesomebob
- Start date
In other words, if I were to start a new thread titled, "THE ONLY GOOD COMMIE IS A DEAD COMMIE." And talk about nelson mandela, that would be bad.
BUT, if I title it, "THE ONLY GOOD." And proceed in the text with "Is a dead commie," that would make everyone happier?
Jim Rosenthal
Supporter
What, Morton, you didn't put me up on the scoreboard? You prat, you. 
I'm crushed, I am. Going to jump right off the roof, see if I don't. Heartless, that's you, mate.
I'm crushed, I am. Going to jump right off the roof, see if I don't. Heartless, that's you, mate.
What, Morton, you didn't put me up on the scoreboard? You prat, you.
I'm crushed, I am. Going to jump right off the roof, see if I don't. Heartless, that's you, mate.
I'm rather offended as well. Apparently I'm not as good of a shit-stirrer as I thought I was.
Happy to see Keith change his name back though...:thumbsup:
Most of these discussions that turn rancorous are political in nature.
Mark, it's a sad state of affairs in the U.S. political arena now...there is no middle ground. The Republicans have hitched their wagon to the radical right and that is causing not only rifts between the two political parties, but also rifts between the two genders as the Republicans continue their efforts to curtail a woman's right to choose whether to reproduce or not.
Sad is a truly correct descriptor...IMHO the more mainstream Democratic party tries to maintain some semblance of middle-ground, but the issue we see is that the Republicans have moved so far to the right that to maintain any illusion that the mainstream has any representation the Democrats have to assume an equally rigid left-wing stance...otherwise the pendulum swings to the right of center and that really does not represent where the majority of the U.S. population stands.
Conspiracy theorists use to be burned out hippies....now they seem to be burned out right-wingers. Thanks to the forum's ignore function I don't have to be subjected to the (IMHO) inane drivel that LB posts, unless someone quotes something he posts...but (again, IMHO) many of the things that Jim and Jeff post are supported by "evidence", so to speak, graphs, links to information sources (which each of us should be "vetting" for believabity), that sort of thing. When I did have LB onscreen, he seemed to be a "hit and run" sort of guy....post some crazy shit, sit back and enjoy :lurker: as the rest of the crowd tried to get to each other's jugulars.
...as I said....trolling at its worst.....another sad state of affairs!
I lost my best friend over the political angst....he became the grumpiest old man I ever saw when Obama was elected the first time. I mentioned that I missed the old Mike and his answer was "The old Mike will return when the fight with the current administration is over." That was 4 years+ ago...I haven't spoken to him again, the BO administration is still in power. It makes me sad (there's that word again) that the anger goes so deep over something over which he had no control that he chose to end a lifelong friendship...but, that's how "divided" we are as a country, there IS no middle ground anymore.
Cheers, Mark!!!!
Doug
When one side controls the language, when institutions of learning don't allow the other side of an issue to be discussed, rancor will manifest itself.
I had a really stupid thought the other day (well, I actually have them everyday, sometimes even multiple ones). Almost all 180 degree arguments on this (and other media) are pretty much based on opinions or "reports" of others in more elevated positions in the general media.
From those assertions - people (us) make our own opinions and develop our stance. So really, when you posit a political argument, it's already at least 2nd hand and not your own - just something you've seen or read.
Therefore (bear with me) everybody's position is flawed unless you are personally involved (and therefore have first hand knowledge) in anything you argue about.
You cannot believe everything that is written and you can make a value judgement but it still means you are arguing or debating a third party premise that may or may not be true.
That's why I generally don't have a position, because unless I actually experience stuff from a personal standpoint - my mind is still very much open and I won't bother to argue or debate an issue that I don't have personal knowledge on.
This doesn't make good Paddock material I'm afraid and that's why I take the piss most of the time.
That is all.
From those assertions - people (us) make our own opinions and develop our stance. So really, when you posit a political argument, it's already at least 2nd hand and not your own - just something you've seen or read.
Therefore (bear with me) everybody's position is flawed unless you are personally involved (and therefore have first hand knowledge) in anything you argue about.
You cannot believe everything that is written and you can make a value judgement but it still means you are arguing or debating a third party premise that may or may not be true.
That's why I generally don't have a position, because unless I actually experience stuff from a personal standpoint - my mind is still very much open and I won't bother to argue or debate an issue that I don't have personal knowledge on.
This doesn't make good Paddock material I'm afraid and that's why I take the piss most of the time.
That is all.
Doug,why is it a surprise to you that the middle ground has disappeared? Unemployment remains a problem, our government continues to print money with no backing or regard for its devaluing our currency, people are still losing their homes, medical costs are still climbing, the constitution still seems to be of no importance to our congress, supreme court or president and the list goes on and on with out improvement. You seem to believe that the majority of the population is happy with our circumstances. The people I know and their friends seem to be very unhappy with the direction we are taking and want something done about it now - not years down the road after we have driven over the cliff! When congress and our government start showing signs of tackling the problems and stop adding to them we may see some return of the masses to the "middle ground". I usually stay out of this BS, but I could let this trash keep slipping by without some comment.
It's no surprise to me...I hope I didn't sound surprised...I saw it coming when the weasel Tom Delay was SOTH and his "Win at all costs" attitude toward negotiation and compromise (BTW...I live in his electoral area...he was my representative, but not MY choice...I've seen him in public many times, he is a VERY despicable person, quite vengeful, demanding and with a sense that the only people who matter are those who share HIS sense of entitlement. He is a very bad example of political power gone to a politician's head. By all accounts he was a "regular" guy who owned a very successful business before he was elected to congress...you don't achieve that if you are the scum that he became once the power went to his head.)
This forum attracts a base of members who aspire to build or own a VERY expensive toy, a GT40 car...IMHO the majority of the people of our country would think that was as foolish as owning a "prancing horse" as did the wife of the last Republican presidential candidate. Whether or not I ever get a 40 remains to be seen, but I do own a Cobra replica and I have no illusions that the majority of the population of our country would believe that could be a reality for them, either. Our forum population is a VERY skewed sample of the general American culture, no doubt about it...but you and your friends SEEM to be in the majority because you choose to associate with people who share your views, so that is your reference population....within that population you ARE the norm, not the exception.
It does not surprise me that the people you know feel the way you described, too. I have no illusions that the demographics of this forum are in any way representative of the majority of the population...and you would be foolish if you believe that the people you know and their friends are in any way representative of the majority of the population in the U.S. I don't know you personally, but the anger I sense in your response leads me to believe that you would be aligned with the far-right...philosophically, emotionally, economically. Anger seems to be the focus of their opinion...but when a person is trying to become an elected official anger is a very unattractive characteristic to the MAJORITY of the voting public
I firmly believe you and your friends and the majority of the forum members are outside the mainstream of cultural opinion. I frequently point out that the majority of the people in the United States ARE more content with the status quo than with what the right has to offer. Why else would someone who has come under such criticism as Obama have been re-elected? It was a majority vote....that IS most of the people, or at least most of those who voted.
Now, whether or not the voting population is representative of our general population, well, that's a topic for another thread.
Does the majority of any countries voting population really understand the nuts and bolts of what they have elected ????
Bob
Bob
Certainly not now with the full cooperation of the press in covering up the lurid past, present, and future of the current regime.
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
Personally I do not think the average person is as dumb as the polititians and the popular press think they are. But lonesome is correct when he says we are not getting all the information we should be. Both the left wing and conservative press no longer report the news but peddle the information that serves their particular agendas best.
Oh and of course whatever sells their newspapers.
Old journalistic saying, never screw up a good story with the truth.
Oh and of course whatever sells their newspapers.
Old journalistic saying, never screw up a good story with the truth.
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
You are welcome.
