6NOV: The Apocolypse Cometh

I have come to a simple conclusion based off TV/paper and various internet forums.

People under thirty are heavily influenced by both an education system and a media-driven pop culture that literally shoves liberalism down their throats and vilifies conservative ideas at every turn. When you engage them, it's clear they don't even attempt to understand the issues beyond parroting whatever they heard.

When they talk about Obama you get the sense they're talking about their favorite guy on American Idol. To them supporting Democrats against Republicans has become like rooting for their hometown team against their arch-rivals. It's constantly drilled into their heads that the Democrats are 'cool' and 'compassionate' while Republicans are at best square and at worst the epitome of all that is evil and sinister. This message is pushed relentlessly across most of the media from films and music to sitcoms and talk shows.

In a sad way I'm reminded of the OJ Simpson trial. I remember shaking my head listening to all the pundits analyzing the prosecution's mistakes and thinking to myself that jury was never going to convict that guy even if he broke down and gave a play-by-play confession. This election obviously goes beyond just race, but the principle still holds: We simply have too many idiots who vote not based on facts and issues but out of blind, brainwashed loyalty.

Wake up and realize the entire system and both party's share the blame and responsibility for the way are current government is. And if we don't find a way to turn around this sea of stupidity, I'm afraid it'll take a monumental collapse to fix the system.

Yes, education makes us youngins stupid. Makes sense.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
1,021
Location
Pearl Harbor, HI
A lesson for Mr. Aken: in the case of a legitimately foolish candidate, the electoral body has ways to shut the whole thing down. Kudos to the Republican Party for distancing themselves from this guy.

P.S. Gotta watch the classic Monty Python bit after every big election: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31FFTx6AKmU
 
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
8,238
Location
Kansas City
Yes, education makes us youngins stupid. Makes sense.

I'm sorry did I offend you by speaking the truth. The media does all in its power to portray all republicans as evil and there beloved democrats as saints.

To answer you on the education front college courses do the same thing. Try taking a political or world class to see the bullshit taught there.

I remember fondly getting into heated arguments and debates with facts that go contrary to what the professor taught as his version of the truth.

I'll say it again its the system and both sides tell half truths and lies. There agendas are all the same in the end. Fix the system before condemning a single party over the other but yet common sense seems to be missing lately.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
36,178
Location
Spudlandia
I have come to a simple conclusion based off TV/paper and various internet forums.

People under thirty are heavily influenced by both an education system and a media-driven pop culture that literally shoves liberalism down their throats and vilifies conservative ideas at every turn. When you engage them, it's clear they don't even attempt to understand the issues beyond parroting whatever they heard.

When they talk about Obama you get the sense they're talking about their favorite guy on American Idol. To them supporting Democrats against Republicans has become like rooting for their hometown team against their arch-rivals. It's constantly drilled into their heads that the Democrats are 'cool' and 'compassionate' while Republicans are at best square and at worst the epitome of all that is evil and sinister. This message is pushed relentlessly across most of the media from films and music to sitcoms and talk shows.

In a sad way I'm reminded of the OJ Simpson trial. I remember shaking my head listening to all the pundits analyzing the prosecution's mistakes and thinking to myself that jury was never going to convict that guy even if he broke down and gave a play-by-play confession. This election obviously goes beyond just race, but the principle still holds: We simply have too many idiots who vote not based on facts and issues but out of blind, brainwashed loyalty.

Wake up and realize the entire system and both party's share the blame and responsibility for the way are current government is. And if we don't find a way to turn around this sea of stupidity, I'm afraid it'll take a monumental collapse to fix the system.

Couch, ignoring Republican obstructionism and saying everyone is responsible is just going to piss more people off from the center to left. I'd suggest another tactic.
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
15,679
Location
Studio City, CA
Couch, ignoring Republican obstructionism and saying everyone is responsible is just going to piss more people off from the center to left. I'd suggest another tactic.

Lots of people have a problem with the truth. Especially if it makes them confront the concept that maybe they are just as much a part of the problem as the enemies that are so conveniently stacked against them.
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
615
Yes, education makes us youngins stupid. Makes sense.

Depends on what you learn. If you learn to merely recite what you've been taught, then you're probably worse than stupid. If you learn how to think critically, then you're not. I've spent enough time amongst the public to know which way most went. And it isn't pretty.
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
615
Lots of people have a problem with the truth. Especially if it makes them confront the concept that maybe they are just as much a part of the problem as the enemies that are so conveniently stacked against them.

"Truth"!? You mean that there is an actual, objective truth out there for lots of people to have a problem with?
 
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
4,721
Lots of people have a problem with the truth. Especially if it makes them confront the concept that maybe they are just as much a part of the problem as the enemies that are so conveniently stacked against them.

Right. More false equivalencies from the right. No wonder things are so fucked up.
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
15,679
Location
Studio City, CA
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
4,721
The prettiest turd is still a turd.


Maybe for you, not for the US.

[economic situation]Yes it is still a turd, but giving the global economic situation being the pretties turd is actually not so bad as it would normally have been.

[debt and fiscal cliff] Not for me nor for Sweden which has among the most stable economies right now... but surely for the US :) Ok the fiscal cliff is maybe not that usual, but it could if laws had been the same as they are now... but surely the debt is completely normal for US.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Messages
6,292
The "cliff" is massive automatic cuts happen if they don't agree on a budget that reduces the deficit (or some such malarkey). Of course, they can just pass a measure that overrules the massive auto cuts, which is what they did before. It's really just a bunch of political grandstanding and bullshit. A massive waste of time, energy, and money. All form, no function.
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
15,679
Location
Studio City, CA
I usually don’t get involved in this forum because when it comes to political matters people get mad at each other too easily. But what the heck, I would like to share my story.

I lived a portion of my life under communism but since the 1980s have lived in America. As you might imagine, I’m pretty much against any form of ‘collectivist’ policies by government. Such policies always sound good on paper and in speeches, but the reality is always something very different, and not in a good way. Like millions of immigrants before me, we came to America to get away from that kind of government, to live in a country where we could better our circumstances by working hard and earning status on our own.

I’m from a generation of immigrants that came to America legally and became ‘American’ in every sense of the word. We didn’t come here for handouts (because we intimately understood how demeaning that is not to mention how easily people become utterly dependent on it) and we didn’t come here to snub Americans by not learning the language and separating ourselves as much as possible from the American culture. We seemed to know and pretty much be ok with the idea that you could be American AND keep your heritage in-tact at the same time. Today the vast majority of my friends are American-born and I identify with America more than I ever did with where I came from.

You can probably imagine already then that I'm a fiscally conservative guy. When it comes to social issues however, my view is 'live how you want' just don't make taxpayers pay for it. As an entrepreneurial businessman I’ve had dreams of a nice house and maybe someday even a fancy car. But I would never have imagined asking taxpayers to fund those things for me nor should they. Likewise, those who want to live their lives ‘Carpe Diem’ can and should. But also realize such a lifestyle is very expensive and don’t go running to the taxpayer to pay for it. For example, if you live life promiscuously and make several children with several different partners, don’t make the taxpayer pay for your food, housing or childcare. Instead, make a skill for yourself where you can make decent money and then go make all the babies that you can pay for. At the same time, I believe in a compassionate America that cares for the truly needy who have suffered through circumstances through no fault of their own. Admittedly, I favor local community, churches, and charities to carry out these functions, but some government involvement would be ok with me if it has proper oversight.

When I came to America I embraced capitalism, probably even more-so than most average Americans. My life before America was one of inescapable poverty with no real means to better the situation. The only way you had a chance to better your financial situation was to be a super-genius, be the best at some kind of performing art or athlete, or be politically connected in some way. I fell into none of those categories. So life for me was one where I never starved to death, but was always starving. I never froze to death, but was always freezing. I was always provided the basics to ‘survive’ but was always wanting. So coming to America and truly understanding how special of a place it is was not something I had to be taught or reminded about.

Liberal America today does not embrace capitalism. The face of the ‘corrupt Wall Street fat cat’ has been splashed across the very idea of capitalism. Even the guy selling hot dogs on a street corner is a ‘wall street fat cat’ in the eyes of many of today’s liberals. I personally would rather wrestle the evils of corruption in a capitalist system than wrestle the evils of corruption in a corrupt political system. Right now in America, we have corruption in both places. Liberals tend to notice only the corruption of corporations but are seemingly blinded to the gratuitous levels of government corruption that occur daily. It is morally wrong for bankers to earn millions in bonuses for their failing banks I agree. But it is equally wrong when government officials steal taxpayer money or don’t pay their own taxes – of which there is rarely much public outcry or media attention. I find it all very one-sided. And to what end? I have never been held at bay by the barrel of a gun by a corrupt and evil corporate executive. But I have been in that situation by a corrupt government official. Many many times.

Most any extreme is not good for anyone. All rights and no responsibilities – not a good outcome. All conservatism and no liberalism – again, not a good outcome. But what I see liberal America flirting with looks and feels a lot like what I experienced in my past. If you’re a liberal through and through, what is happening may seem simply like a liberal cultural shift and nothing more. The re-election of Obama is met with scenes of jubilation, laughing, and dancing. But while the partying goes on, how many liberals are looking at and really understanding the policies being put in place? When you really look into it, 'social justice' and 'redistribution' are nice fluffly-cloud words that describe communist tenants. They sound good. But will they have a good outcome? To say I'm doubtful would be an understatement.

I don’t want to get wrapped up and bogged down in policy sniping in this thread as it is conversational road to nowhere. But if you’re a liberal and if you’re not already, please be very astute of policy and actively work to separate policy from rhetoric as matter of course they almost always conflict. As a conservative, I am equally critical of those who I politically favor as I am towards those who I do not. I’d ask the same from liberals.

I do believe that America is on a dangerous road. I did not vote for Obama but at the same time I was very skeptical that Romney would or could get us off the dangerous road we are already on and have travelled quite far down already. But the bottom line is that Obama never embraced partisan approaches to policy nor did he cut deficit spending (and in fact he grew it more than any other president) – two promises I personally held him to account. So my only alternative was to vote for Romney despite my less-than-enthusiasm toward him. Romney’s ‘unknowns’ were worth more of my voter risk than Obama’s ‘knowns.’
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
2,897
Location
Oregon
I have come to a simple conclusion based off TV/paper and various internet forums.

People under thirty are heavily influenced by both an education system and a media-driven pop culture that literally shoves liberalism down their throats and vilifies conservative ideas at every turn. When you engage them, it's clear they don't even attempt to understand the issues beyond parroting whatever they heard.

When they talk about Obama you get the sense they're talking about their favorite guy on American Idol. To them supporting Democrats against Republicans has become like rooting for their hometown team against their arch-rivals. It's constantly drilled into their heads that the Democrats are 'cool' and 'compassionate' while Republicans are at best square and at worst the epitome of all that is evil and sinister. This message is pushed relentlessly across most of the media from films and music to sitcoms and talk shows.

In a sad way I'm reminded of the OJ Simpson trial. I remember shaking my head listening to all the pundits analyzing the prosecution's mistakes and thinking to myself that jury was never going to convict that guy even if he broke down and gave a play-by-play confession. This election obviously goes beyond just race, but the principle still holds: We simply have too many idiots who vote not based on facts and issues but out of blind, brainwashed loyalty.

Wake up and realize the entire system and both party's share the blame and responsibility for the way are current government is. And if we don't find a way to turn around this sea of stupidity, I'm afraid it'll take a monumental collapse to fix the system.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aVwxTM0ZZ0

"Civilization is a race between education and catastrophe." — H.G. Wells
 
Joined
Mar 28, 2007
Messages
60
Location
Relative
Hey MG, a very thoughtful and sincere piece. Thank you for sharing !!
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
12,806
Location
Australia
Sorry guys. A nation where both sides come together to create a better tomorrow won't happen. Why? Because it would remove the cornerstones of both major political philosophies. That cornerstone? "It's all the other guy's fault."
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
615
Sorry guys. A nation where both sides come together to create a better tomorrow won't happen. Why? Because it would remove the cornerstones of both major political philosophies. That cornerstone? "It's all the other guy's fault."

Ah the old it's there fault not ours. Something goes wrong always blame the other party it's rule number 1 of any politician.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
36,178
Location
Spudlandia
While I'm certainly disappointed in the election results, I don't think I'm quite this disappointed.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/secission-petitions-filed-20-states-190210006.html

In the wake of last week's presidential election, thousands of Americans have signed petitions seeking permission for their states to peacefully secede from the United States. The petitions were filed on We the People, a government website.

And before Thrasher gets his partisan insults firing, a little perspective:
Similar petitions were filed following the 2004 and 2008 elections.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
13,535
Location
Illinois, USA
I posted about those petitions on a firearms-centric forum I am on. I don't understand why anyone can believe that getting a few (very few) thousand people to sign a petition will somehow send a stronger or more impactful message than the hundred million plus people that voted Obama into office.
 
Joined
May 3, 2008
Messages
615
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
4,721
Back
Top Bottom