Russiagate and the impeachment have radicalized the country. The population is now split in a new way. On the one hand we have the people who elected Trump, ordinary traditional Americans who believe in God and Country who are now demonized as “racists” and “white supremacists” (Jennifer Rubin labels traditional Americans “white nationalists”). On the other hand we have the Democrats, no longer the party of the working people, but the party of immigrant-invaders, homosexuals, transgendered, pagans, feminists, and feminized males."America on the Ropes." By Paul Craig Roberts, LewRockwell.com, 12/21/19.
(a.k.a. Bastion Of Liberty)
"Keep clear of the dupes that talk democracy,
And the dogs that bark revolution.
Drunk with talk, liars and believers.
I believe in my tusks.
Long live freedom and damn the ideologies!"
(Robinson Jeffers)
Pretty much.
ReplyDeleteI just saw a post about how "a majority" now supports impeachment and removal.
I don't believe it, but let's posit this is true for the sake of argument. This shows the power of the information flow. As an example, I was talking with someone at a "Holiday Party" and impeachment came up (I didn't start it). The amount of mis- and false information this person had about it was... astonishing.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL.
It's astonishing. I don't lack for understanding of Trump's shortcomings. I don't filter them out in favor of what someone has spoonfed me. My alleged mind didn't turn me into a Rhodes Scholar but I can sorta kinda tell you what the Dems are arguing these days. I once heard Rachel Maddow deliver an excellent critique of the war in Iraq. I didn't occur to me to tune her out because of her other less insightful commentary.
ReplyDeleteYour acquaintance strikes me as exhibiting willful blindness and I don't get it.
And Happy Hanukah to you, sir.
You and I are alike.
ReplyDeleteHashem bless my blood pressure, I don't like getting into arguments. I do, regardless, because:
1. What if I'm wrong? If someone has a compelling argument that, after my independent checking, proves closer to Truth than my current position... I'll change. I've done it on myriad occasions - that's why I'm at where I'm at.
2. There is a glimmer of hope that I may change their mind.
3. If nothing else, the intellectual combat keeps me sharp.
Third night, and Christmas eve (I grumble about the tree but that's my wife's doing... but the kids are going to go crazy over one thing: a hand-written calligraphy letter from Santa in response to some questions they wrote to him in a letter - including a few pretty perceptive questions considering their ages).
Blessings upon you and all other open-minded people. Marcus Aurelius thought that one's stance toward life ought to be like that of a wrestler, ready to meet an attack from any direction. So with being confronted with new ideas. One should always be alert to shift one's stance and not necessarily defend against them but consider an appropriate response.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved Henry Miller's definition of a philosopher in Tropic of Capricorn - someone who has "no theory at all
no theory at all, except to penetrate to the very essence of things and, in the light of each fresh revelation to so live his life so that there would be a minimum of discord between the truths which were revealed to him and the exemplification of these truths in action." It is that approach that separates the gold from the dross in our species. It's instantly apparent when you meet people who approach life this way. A mere moment of reflection on human frailty and the limits of our powers of observation and analysis should cause one constantly to be open to refinements in understanding and conduct.
Interesting that you mention Marcus Aurelius. I've read a great book on stoicism (and have a few others in my ever-growing-because-I-don't-have-time TO BE READ list)… I was astonished at how much stoicism I was already practicing in my life.
ReplyDeleteAs Bill Whittle once said "I want to be where the Truth is" - Truth, or at least as close as we humans can come to it.
And yes, I know it's Shabbat. But I remember a panel discussion with some Orthodox parents in Israel questioning their kids' involvement in the IDF; they were asked "Do you work on Shabbat"?
ReplyDeleteOne of the women answered "Do we work on Shabbat. Of course we work on Shabbat. OUR ENEMIES WORK ON SHABBAT!"