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Friday, May 02, 2014

Good Words (I ♥ Quora Edition)

From one of my Quora questions...

I can't speak to the conservative pundits who I don't listen to or follow, but I can say a few things about conservative forums I've trolled. The typical commenter has a very different POV, informed by an entirely different set of 'facts'. If I can make some gross generalizations about their worldview: 

  • the world they live in is a scary, scary place filled with monsters they are constantly being beseiged by: the federal government, lazy brown people who commit crimes and appropriate their hard earned tax dollars, liberal bureaucracy, liberal media trying to brainwash them 
  • the world is full of sinister conspiracies--malevolent, omniscient forces are always at work in the world and target them specifically 
  • they are amongst a band of surviving 'real Americans' that still uphold 'traditional values' in contrast to the sinful, frivolous, un-American populace 
  • news and events are local--they have little interest in international affairs or global perspectives on American issues 
  • America is the best, the greatest, and is exceptional in every way--that specialness is constantly being threatened from within by liberal elements who are sabotaging this ideal and trying to make the country more like the rest 
  • you must agree entirely with all of the stated beliefs of their conservative agenda, or you are a dangerous, free-thinking liberal--it's very binary 
  • if you are hold progressive positions, or don't identify with reactionary paranoid extremism, you are immediately presumed to be lazy, non-taxpaying, of dubious virtue and poorly educated.

Well, that pretty much sums up Kevin Baker, every single one of his commenters, and the right wing blogsphere! I wonder if they will ever realize this is exactly how they are and change...

I have to admit as well that I appreciate the wider audience.

16 comments:

GuardDuck said...

I think the better post is the one with the most upvotes...

Mark Ward said...

Right. I forgot. Most votes=win=correct=12 year old boy.

Do you deny that you are exactly this description?

GuardDuck said...

Yes I deny it.

And I forgot, most votes only matter to you when those votes go your way... otherwise 'they aren't acting in their best interests'.

Mark Ward said...

Most votes never matter to me. Comments sections of blogs don't make any difference in anything. But I am curious as to why you deny it. Take the first one, for example.

the world they live in is a scary, scary place filled with monsters they are constantly being beseiged by: the federal government, lazy brown people who commit crimes and appropriate their hard earned tax dollars, liberal bureaucracy, liberal media trying to brainwash them

That's exactly you...Kevin, Unix, DJ...dead nut on.

Juris Imprudent said...

Well, how opportune...

This speaks directly to the point. Of course it is probably too long and too difficult a read for M.

GuardDuck said...

Dead nut on? Wow. Well Mr. Black and white, let's see - I don't think you can find anywhere, anyplace that I, UNIX, Kevin or dj ever referred to 'little brown people' as lazy.


So, without even having to explain further, that blows away your 'exactly'.

Mark Ward said...

Hmm...interesting that you only picked out the brown people remark. If you take that out, is there still disagreement about the characterization?

GuardDuck said...

Pretty much expected that you would say something smarmy about me picking the brown people remark.

Interesting? No. Easy to dismiss? Yes? The others are shades of gray and nuances that you won't see in you quest to 'win'.

And if I take it out? No, and fuck you Mr. Moving the goalposts. You said exactly and dead nut on. That means exactly and dead nut on. I just showed you it isn't exact or dead nut on - we aren't going to play move the goalposts.

Mark Ward said...

Fine. I retract the brown person remark. None of you are racist. Now we have this.

the world they live in is a scary, scary place filled with monsters they are constantly being beseiged by: the federal government, lazy people who commit crimes and appropriate their hard earned tax dollars, liberal bureaucracy, liberal media trying to brainwash them

Agree or disagree? Why or why not?

GuardDuck said...

Disagree.

But, see above, re: "The others are shades of gray and nuances that you won't see in you quest to 'win'."

Going down the Mark logic rabbit hole chasing multiple things at once isn't fun or amusing. Especially when you won't or can't comprehend language and make up your own definitions to words.


Mark Ward said...

That's not really an answer as to how this is wrong. How is it wrong? For example, do you not believe that you are beseiged by an overreaching federal government?

GuardDuck said...

I am not besieged by:

The federal government

Lazy people

Lazy people committing crimes

Lazy people appropriating my hard earned dollars

Liberal bureaucracy

Liberal media trying to brainwash me


So, no - not accurate.

But there is a federal government with problems

There are lazy people

There are people who commit crimes

There are people who appropriate hard earned tax dollars

I really hope there is no such thing as a liberal bureaucracy because a bureaucracy alone is bad enough

There is a media that, in the mainstream is generally liberal leaning

And any media that has any bias by definition is trying to convince others that the bias presented is correct


Back to the original topic - any reason why the post that presents various options to have answered you question - including one that suggests you should be a little more self reflective, is one that you reject in favour of one that is nothing more than you wanting some confirmation bias and a pat on the back?

Mark Ward said...

Other than this small comment, I don't feel the need to say anything else. You more or less did my job for me:)

GuardDuck said...

OOOhhhh.... wow. You think you proved something?

I think if you ask the average American if any of those things I presented were true you'd find they agree....

Mark Ward said...

Why not do it? Plenty of larger forums to choose from:)

GuardDuck said...

Keep on deceiving yourself....eventually someone will believe you.