Reposted by permission of the author, Mike Berst:
We desperately need to get some basics established that will allow an intelligent and productive conversation to go forward. There is nothing wrong with people's opinions differing, but there is something very wrong with people robotically throwing talking points and clever barbed phrases at each other for the express purpose of spiritually destroying the person with whom you are conversing.
The whole point of having political discussions is not to "win" - winning being defined as driving the person you are talking to into an abject and miserable state of frustration or anger - but to explore and develop ideas, reach consensus and identify areas of differing views and opinions and learn how to accept and respect those.
Endless jeering mocking one-liners and "gotchas" are certain and telling expression of a deep almost sociopathic emotional immaturity. It is the mindset that would enjoy torturing a small animal or pulling the wings off of insects. It is the mindset that gets secret pleasure imagining the humiliation and degradation of others. It is the mindset that can not distinguish between the emotions of love and compassion and the thrill and hormonal rush of cruelty and sadism. It is a sign and a symptom of a society gone very, very wrong.
The level of discourse in this country is on a par with a shouting match between 12 year old bullies on a playground - worse! actually when I think back to the most obnoxious, malicious and violent kids in my working class neighborhood.
That is inexcusable behavior by civilized adults, and continuing to behave that way is damaging to the social fabric of the country - that which sustains and supports us and makes life worth living. I have often appealed to people's patriotism as a last resort call for intelligence and common sense and fair play and decency towards their fellow citizens. Not only does that get nowhere, but the very fact that I call for it makes me the target of yet more derisive and mean-spirited abuse. I am not complaining, as I have come to accept the fact that a shockingly high percentage of adult Americans are the functional equivalents emotionally of badly abused and poorly socialized, uneducated, ignorant and obnoxious over-grown juvenile delinquents.
Patriotism is no longer a shared set of common values and principles. "Things aren't like that now!" people say if you cite the words of the founders of the country, or "what did they know" or "he has been proven wrong!"
Common courtesy is mocked and jeered at. Winning is everything, and winning means making your fellow human beings as miserable as possible. Isolation and independence and self gratification are praised, while compassion and consideration, altruism and sacrifice are derided and dismissed as sentimental and weak.
The coarser the language the better, and taking care to use the English language as an educated, civilized person who respects others, and has respect for their own thoughts and a desire to express them to others, is seen as though IT were the discourteous, rude or hostile approach. "How dare you come across so high and mighty like you know more than us!" is the response. S
Perversely, people are more comfortablr with screaming and name-calling - this seems more friendly, or at least familiar to people, and they are content and happy knowing that the other speaker is a fellow hog wallowing in the mud of stupidity, bigotry, sefl-centeredness and depravity.
Dear bucket of vermouth,
I applaud your efforts to find civilization in this dismal swamp we call Earth. However, until the Cthulthu return to devour mankind or everyone becomes part of the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement ( www.vhemt.org ), please note that life will continue to poor, nasty, brutish and short. There will be no Lord of the Rings, just Lord of the Flies for strife, greed and pain are in the very nature of man while joy and playfulness are in the very nature of fairies. A mere coursing through the history of man will readily demonstrate that man is a killing machine that ought to be extinct.
As for civil discourse, it helps not that leet is a common tongue for these cunning linguists for leet is used only by "n00bs", those trying to impress people with their leetness when they are just newbies (even after many years one can still be a n00b as H0r4b.-0n3 demonstrates) and those playing counterstrike.
As for the rest of what I was going to say, I have forgotten it for the moment and thus it must have been too important.
Disrespectfully yours,
aini
Fuck that shit, you homo!
ay-yo, kato! I don' know 'bout yo' whitebread, "working" class neighbo'hood, but 'round these parts, whne fools come jawing that slick-ass college-boy talk, they usually just get shot in they face fo' tha trouble...then they get robbed, and they girlie gets taken to tha crack house and passed aroun' to all tha hardcore freakz. so, what I'm tryin' to say to you is, feel free to come to tha projectz anytime for a more in-depth discussion of yo' views and opinions. and bring ya' girlie wit' you, dawg, that azz is bangin'.
Quote from: LMNOFuck that shit, you homo!
Are you a talking to me?
Quote from: Mad Skillzay-yo, kato! I don' know 'bout yo' whitebread, "working" class neighbo'hood, but 'round these parts, whne fools come jawing that slick-ass college-boy talk, they usually just get shot in they face fo' tha trouble...then they get robbed, and they girlie gets taken to tha crack house and passed aroun' to all tha hardcore freakz. so, what I'm tryin' to say to you is, feel free to come to tha projectz anytime for a more in-depth discussion of yo' views and opinions. and bring ya' girlie wit' you, dawg, that azz is bangin'.
You could have just meeped.
It would have been much cuter and less violent while conveying the same info.
Quote from: ainiQuote from: LMNOFuck that shit, you homo!
Are you a talking to me?
Oh, uh, I....
Just trying to be offensive and aggressive.
(meep.)
Quote from: LMNOQuote from: ainiQuote from: LMNOFuck that shit, you homo!
Are you a talking to me?
Oh, uh, I....
Just trying to be offensive and aggressive.
(meep.)
good. that's what this thread is about.
meep
Quote from: bucket of truthReposted by permission of the author, Mike Berst:
We desperately need to get some basics established that will allow an intelligent and productive conversation to go forward. There is nothing wrong with people's opinions differing, but there is something very wrong with people robotically throwing talking points and clever barbed phrases at each other for the express purpose of spiritually destroying the person with whom you are conversing.
The whole point of having political discussions is not to "win" - winning being defined as driving the person you are talking to into an abject and miserable state of frustration or anger - but to explore and develop ideas, reach consensus and identify areas of differing views and opinions and learn how to accept and respect those.
Endless jeering mocking one-liners and "gotchas" are certain and telling expression of a deep almost sociopathic emotional immaturity. It is the mindset that would enjoy torturing a small animal or pulling the wings off of insects. It is the mindset that gets secret pleasure imagining the humiliation and degradation of others. It is the mindset that can not distinguish between the emotions of love and compassion and the thrill and hormonal rush of cruelty and sadism. It is a sign and a symptom of a society gone very, very wrong.
The level of discourse in this country is on a par with a shouting match between 12 year old bullies on a playground - worse! actually when I think back to the most obnoxious, malicious and violent kids in my working class neighborhood.
That is inexcusable behavior by civilized adults, and continuing to behave that way is damaging to the social fabric of the country - that which sustains and supports us and makes life worth living. I have often appealed to people's patriotism as a last resort call for intelligence and common sense and fair play and decency towards their fellow citizens. Not only does that get nowhere, but the very fact that I call for it makes me the target of yet more derisive and mean-spirited abuse. I am not complaining, as I have come to accept the fact that a shockingly high percentage of adult Americans are the functional equivalents emotionally of badly abused and poorly socialized, uneducated, ignorant and obnoxious over-grown juvenile delinquents.
Patriotism is no longer a shared set of common values and principles. "Things aren't like that now!" people say if you cite the words of the founders of the country, or "what did they know" or "he has been proven wrong!"
Common courtesy is mocked and jeered at. Winning is everything, and winning means making your fellow human beings as miserable as possible. Isolation and independence and self gratification are praised, while compassion and consideration, altruism and sacrifice are derided and dismissed as sentimental and weak.
The coarser the language the better, and taking care to use the English language as an educated, civilized person who respects others, and has respect for their own thoughts and a desire to express them to others, is seen as though IT were the discourteous, rude or hostile approach. "How dare you come across so high and mighty like you know more than us!" is the response. S
Perversely, people are more comfortablr with screaming and name-calling - this seems more friendly, or at least familiar to people, and they are content and happy knowing that the other speaker is a fellow hog wallowing in the mud of stupidity, bigotry, sefl-centeredness and depravity.
more evidence our efforts have not gone to waste.
QuoteDear bucket of vermouth,
Rum, my dear, rum!
QuoteFuck that shit, you homo!
Right after I'm done with YOUR MOMMA!
You know, if they're a homo, you probably don't have to tell them to fuck shit. They're probably way ahead of you.
Quote from: PricklyYou know, if they're a homo, you probably don't have to tell them to fuck shit. They're probably way ahead of you.
That is, unless they eat pussy.
wait...I eat pussy...does that mean I'm a homo?
I'm so confused....
8)
Quote from: Turd Fergusonwait...I eat pussy...does that mean I'm a homo?
I'm so confused....
8)
yes, you're a lesbian.
all my life i've been a sexy hawt obese lesbians stuck in a skinny hairy man's body.
i have no problem with this.
Personally, I'm a militant feminist lesbian stuck in a porcupine's body. But that's just me.
I WILL HAVE DEVOURED ALL YOUR militant feminist lesbians!
Quote from: Turd Fergusonwait...I eat pussy...does that mean I'm a homo?
I'm so confused....
8)
cute very cute
Quote from: MalaulQuote from: Turd Fergusonwait...I eat pussy...does that mean I'm a homo?
I'm so confused....
8)
cute very cute
yes since I turned you into a girlie.
and very cute
[turns aini into a straight guy]