tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post8009580766272319674..comments2024-03-27T03:19:11.216-04:00Comments on Assistant Village Idiot: Poetic EssenceAssistant Village Idiothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-31332551517046706132012-01-15T12:02:37.924-05:002012-01-15T12:02:37.924-05:00To be fair, probably some of them fear that whatev...To be fair, probably some of them fear that whatever actions they tried would just make things worse: give "the man" an excuse, or make them allies with groups they don't want to associate with.<br /><br />But most of them probably just enjoy the gnostic thrill of being superior souls thanks to their special knowledge.jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01792036361407527304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-38009965792401872072012-01-15T02:56:50.625-05:002012-01-15T02:56:50.625-05:00I think more that we look to their actions to judg...I think more that we look to their actions to judge their seriousness; seeing that they are sitting on their butts, we perceive that they don't really believe the nonsense they're spouting.<br /><br />(I'm glad they don't really believe these things and act on that belief, of course. But I'm kind of disgusted to see people who don't really think these things claiming they're true anyway. In this context, these people are peddling harmful lies, which on some level they know are lies, for their own self-satisfaction. Which you have to admit is pretty vile behavior.)jaedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03328666344764784829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-68817290493473300782012-01-14T16:57:09.077-05:002012-01-14T16:57:09.077-05:00When, as suggested, crazy people with crazy belief...When, as suggested, crazy people with crazy beliefs do act on them, then we have terrorists and criminals. <br /><br />I much prefer they not act. I'm pretty sure I'm misunderstanding a lot, but I'm appalled at the suggestion that they must act to prove they are really "serious".Donna B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16771075314473811594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-81494868948097901482012-01-14T11:00:09.759-05:002012-01-14T11:00:09.759-05:00PS -- Wow, that was actually a rational article at...PS -- Wow, that was actually a rational article at Witherspoon.Texan99https://www.blogger.com/profile/10479561573903660086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-62179287974948611902012-01-14T10:55:36.596-05:002012-01-14T10:55:36.596-05:00I believe Mr. Obama is a socialist in about the sa...I believe Mr. Obama is a socialist in about the same sense that I am a libertarian. It's a rhetorical exaggeration designed to signal the fact that each of us is strongly inclined to support policies that would push our system in that direction, though both of us probably would stop short of the absolute ideal even if we had unlimited power, and both of us recognize that there are some policies that simply are impractical in the absence of sufficient popular support. As a shorthand description, it's reasonably just if a little provocative.<br /><br />If someone accuses me of being a libertarian, I have to defend myself by showing how I differ from an outright anarchist, and how I would answer difficult questions about what limited government power is OK and where and how I draw the line. Similarly, Mr. Obama, upon being accused of socialist sympathies, has to explain in what sense he believes private ownership and control is ever preferable to public, and why, and how you know when you've moved too far in the public direction.<br /><br />I agree with you, of course, about vague conspiracy theories. If we really believed half of the nonsense people spout, why would we still be sitting around unarmed and bitching about it? If the house is on fire, you either grab the fire extinguisher or you evacuate. You don't light another joint and hold forth.<br /><br />I'm concerned about economic collapse. But if I really, truly believed it was going down the tubes in the most literal and fundamental way, I'd have converted our life savings into armaments and food production. Until I do that, if I make exaggerated claims of doom, I'm just blathering and venting emotionally.Texan99https://www.blogger.com/profile/10479561573903660086noreply@blogger.com