October 08, 2007

The Age of Apoplexy. Passionate disagreement isn’t sufficient; bad faith must be imputed to one’s opponents: skepticism of affirmative action equals racism, antiwar sentiment equals anti-Americanism (or terrorist sympathy), criticism of Israel is by definition anti-Semitic, and so on. More and more people think they’re entitled to the right not just to ignore or disapprove, but to veto and banish.
  • Have humans ever been mature enough to listen to people with differing viewpoints? I like to think there was some past golden age when this was the norm, but I'm not sure if that's just a fantasy of mine.
  • he, that is not only a stupid comment, but you are a moron and should be banned.
  • Goddamit, RalphTheDog, one of these days people who think the way you do will be raped by toasters. RUNNING TOASTERS FULL OF FORKS.
  • I disagree.
  • Would you all just shut up?!?!?!
  • Underpants Monster, do you have to get your doddamn panties in a wad every time somebody opens his mouth? If you're not screaming and crying and shaking your fist, you're gnashing your teeth, and spouting vitriol.
  • Running toasters, full of forks, the Toast is with thee; blessed art thou among toasters, and blessed is the toast of thy slot.
  • But really, if you assume the worst about why a person holds a certain opinion, most of the time you will be correct! There are very few 'honest differences of opinion'; most opinions are based upon either self-centeredness to the point of sociopathy, total absence of logical thought, absolutely irrational fear and psychoses or good old-fashioned evil. Including mine. I have found peace with my near-total wrongness, although I am frustrated with my inability to identify those rare rational and logical thoughts. Oh well.
  • So, wendell, where do you find that the majority of your opinions lie? Selfish, illogical, irrational, or evil? Or in what combination?
  • I've more of a preference for illogical evil than irrational selfishness, myself.
  • I'm more illogically selfish than irrationally evil, with a smattering of Lawful Neutral thrown into the mix to keep things spicy.
  • I'm Chaotic Smarmy.
  • I rerolled and got set to Chaotic Ironic. It's been a very confusing week, to be honest.
  • Neutral Passive Aggressive. Thank you. *casts Heavy Sigh of the Martyr at mct for 2D6 +1 damage*
  • Oddly enough, I have moved significantly in the last few years from illogical and irrational to mostly selfish and evil, yet my actual opinions have changed very little. It's just that my own life has changed so that my previously stupid opinions now are solidly self-serving. And all I know about RPGs I know from "Order of the Stick", but I love the "Chaotic Smarmy"...
  • Hey, if you're for abortion, you want to MURDER LITTLE BABIES. If you're not a fundy Christian, you want to PROMOTE SATAN. IF you advocate sex education, you want all teens to HAVE SEX NONSTOP. Hey, reasoned discourse? Moderation in viewpoints? Heck no! PEOPLE WANNA GET THEIR PANTIES IN A WAD, DAMMIT! Mine is the Only One True Opinion, and those of you who disagree are wrong. WRONG and STUPID. WRONG, STUPID, and GOING TO HELL. That's right. All of you. Now geddoffa my lawn!
  • well I do want to murder little babies, promote satan and have nonstop sex with teenagers. SO THERE!!!
  • Life is like a metal video.
  • \m/
  • Promote Satan? I'm pretty sure Satan's hit the glass ceiling. He might as well cash in his brimstone parachute abd retire.
  • Most of my professional life, Satan got all the promotions I was going after. Why?
  • It's not such a new thing though, is it? I was watching that Tudors series recently, and reminded of the pamphlet war involving St Thomas More, Luther, King Henry and I think even Erasmus. That was basically a flame-war (with actual heretic-burning as a bonus) conducted at the snail's pace that contemporary communications allowed. Same in the English Civil War - lots of scurrilousness and scatology, and they ad more hominems than I''ve had hot dinners.
  • Romanes Eunt Domus
  • I used to want to promote Satan...TILL HE SOLD OUT. I do want all teens to have sex non-stop, however.