Comments on: Don’t let flocking make you stupid.

By: tuscadero

tuscadero — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:17:51 +0000

wow, very important post. thank you. I’m an unapologetic progressive democrat and after the last 8 years I shied away from getting into political discussions because people made me want to scream. but recently, on a few occasions, I swallowed hard and tried to understand why one friend still believes there was good evidence to invade Iraq and why another believes in her heart that Obama is a “secret Muslim.” Did I mention I live in Massachusetts? The most liberal state in the Union, except for maybe California! It was so frustrating to hear these people who I love, who I consider intelligent on most other points, voicing these thoughts that—to me—were pure ignorance.
I kept my temper, and suggested evidence to the contrary, explained where I was coming from, I can’t say I changed any minds, but I didn’t leave their assumptions unchallenged. The only point when I offended either of them, is when I apologized to the Iraq war supporter for discussing politics. He had actually enjoyed the conversation and was tired of people pussyfooting around for fear of offending.
Pop a hole in the echo chamber, I say. Let some air in the vacuums.

By: Andrew Simone

Andrew Simone — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 04:44:28 +0000

India, you always seem to do my favorite posts.

By: Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:47:02 +0000

I mean, when my Galveston friend wrote to tell me about looters gutting her house before it was flooded — and headed the message “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Well.

By: Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:44:37 +0000

No. Funny-ha ha is funny-cruel, at least to some extent. Otherwise it’s not funny.

By: Kris

Kris — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:38:59 +0000

Sheila, is there really any other kind of humour?

By: Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:31:52 +0000

“A Czech born in the wrong place.” That’s almost amusing, in –you know — a black-humorous kind of way.

By: Kris

Kris — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:28:42 +0000

Vaculík is supremely underappreciated, and The Guinea Pigs is a favourite. I’ve always thought of myself as a Czech born in the wrong place.

Actually, it was only a couple of months ago that I eventually got around to reading The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk During the World War, after years and years of putting it off. It was well worth the wait!

By: Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:28:20 +0000

I know the feeling, Kris. The French have been taking the wind out of my sails for years now.

By: Kris

Kris — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:25:09 +0000

I can see “Tory anarchist”. To be honest, that’s always been “libertarian” to me. Australia has a lot less distrust of government historically though, too much peace and quiet you see.

I can’t complain though. During my brief flirtation with the arts, I once endeavoured to get up a concept “surrealistic realism”, and then discovered that Baudrillard beat me to it by many years. Took the wind out of my sails, I’ll tell you.

By: Daryl Scroggins

Daryl Scroggins — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:19:40 +0000

Kris–this reminded me of a splendid novel–Ludvik Vaculik’s The Guinea Pigs.