Can't shake the feeling there is something weird going on
In the last month I have spent a fair amount of time delving into the world of liberals. I have watched more CNN and MSNBC. I have deeply explored the blogosphere of the left. I have even listened to Air America some since I noticed they are on the Chicago radio. The result is that I am absolutely stunned and astounded. I have tried to be completely objective. Not to boast but I think I have a gift for being fair and objective. I would call a spade a spade even if it killed me.
My objective opinion of my research of the left is - - they are stark raving crazy. The things they say are like people you know that just talk a mile a minute and never say anything. While at times they make a rational point, 99% of the time they are spewing out hatred, anger and frustration. Their "facts" are usually a straw man they have quickly constructed and then continue to argue against the straw man. It really boggles the mind that they think anyone not already of their mind set could take them seriously.
There is the rub. I can't shake the feeling that these guys, the mainstream media and most politicians are up to something sinister. My best guess is that they are purposefully churning out nonsense that inevitably will turn people away from trusting them. Like they are flushing out a rabbit or a pheasant in hunting - toward the hunter. Those on the right keep moving toward the left, while the far left's loony ideas push people toward the right. They run toward the right either as a place they think they can trust, or as an alternative to the craziness.
Even with politicians, most current Republicans are to the left of JFK and LBJ and moving more to the left with each election cycle while talking about moving right. The Democrats are getting more and more extreme and incredible which only pushes people to the right. They have this unending shrill criticism of all things 'George Bush' and / or GOP, yet they propose no answers or solutions. They see the results of this at the elections, yet they continue to do the same thing.
I am not so trusting and gullible that I do not know there is opportunity every day to be duped by somebody on the left or right. However, the magnitude of what I see as a potential mass duping is a bizaare phenomenon.
I have my eyes on both sides. On the left is sure folly. There is nothing there at all, but when both the left and right seem controlled and maneuvered by some strange hand it is almost enough to make me a believer in conspiracy theories.
My objective opinion of my research of the left is - - they are stark raving crazy. The things they say are like people you know that just talk a mile a minute and never say anything. While at times they make a rational point, 99% of the time they are spewing out hatred, anger and frustration. Their "facts" are usually a straw man they have quickly constructed and then continue to argue against the straw man. It really boggles the mind that they think anyone not already of their mind set could take them seriously.
There is the rub. I can't shake the feeling that these guys, the mainstream media and most politicians are up to something sinister. My best guess is that they are purposefully churning out nonsense that inevitably will turn people away from trusting them. Like they are flushing out a rabbit or a pheasant in hunting - toward the hunter. Those on the right keep moving toward the left, while the far left's loony ideas push people toward the right. They run toward the right either as a place they think they can trust, or as an alternative to the craziness.
Even with politicians, most current Republicans are to the left of JFK and LBJ and moving more to the left with each election cycle while talking about moving right. The Democrats are getting more and more extreme and incredible which only pushes people to the right. They have this unending shrill criticism of all things 'George Bush' and / or GOP, yet they propose no answers or solutions. They see the results of this at the elections, yet they continue to do the same thing.
I am not so trusting and gullible that I do not know there is opportunity every day to be duped by somebody on the left or right. However, the magnitude of what I see as a potential mass duping is a bizaare phenomenon.
I have my eyes on both sides. On the left is sure folly. There is nothing there at all, but when both the left and right seem controlled and maneuvered by some strange hand it is almost enough to make me a believer in conspiracy theories.
posted by All_I_Can_Stands @ 8:16 AM
2 Comments:
At 4:45 PM,
Anonymous said…
Nice of you to open up to anonymous comments. I hope you don't get any unreasonable trouble from it.
You know what's funny? I read your blog as part of my own 'get to know the opposition' project. As I read your stuff I have a really hard time thinking that you actually believe what you're witting and that you have any integrity at all. It makes more sense to me to imagine that you know full well that you are casting pure opinion as logic; that you're willingly and knowingly participating in partisan spinning where everything left is bad and everything right is good; willingly participating in the talking points echo chamber of the right.
It's only by stepping back and really suspending my disbelief that I can imagine that you are sincere in what you are blogging. It's much more interesting to put the effort in to believe you than it is to dismiss you outright. You and I don't disagree on just the issues; it's closer to fundamentally opposed world views and different ideas of the meaning of 'logic'.
If you and I were at a bar or a coffee shop I think we'd do best to start a conversation about how it can be that two reasonable people can see things so differently. It truly amazes me whenever I encounter it. If you don't have a buddy on the left with whom you can a converstation like that I think you'd find it valuable.
Can you provide some inks or explain your comment that "most current Republicans are to the left of JFK and LBJ"?
paw
At 6:40 PM,
All_I_Can_Stands said…
paw,
Thanks for writing. I opened the anonymous so more could write. Some people I know don't have an account, so now they can too. Rest assured I believe what I write - at least at the time I write it. A couple of things I later questioned myself on, but very rarely.
Yes I have partisan beliefs. Yes my posts reflect that. However, I never spin anything from falsehood to truth or vice versa.
If you read my posts, I criticize those on the right in addition to those on the left. As far as the left all being bad, they have no ideas they are proposing so there is not much to comment against their 'ideas'. You either can point out their unfair criticisms or guess the ideas they have that they are not brave enough to put forth and critique those.
I try hard to post as uniquely as I can. Often I will read a news story and find my post on it is similar to others posting, but I wrote mine before I read theirs. There are some issues I take and amplify. I would not say echo. I like to add as much unique portions as I can.
I would not claim I am a purist when it comes to logic. My logic is reasoned out very carefully though. Part of my logic is to point out if A is true, then how can B be true. Or, if A is true then B must be true. When I reason, I try to take out the emotion and honestly be objective.
It is amazing that two intelligent people can see things so differently. I work with such an individual who is a brain of feet, yet we think drastically different politically. I have talked with many on the left for hours on end. Almost all think they way they do based on their indoctrination at college and the influence of their peers. At that point, to change political view is abhorent to them.
JFK was solidly pro-life, believed in individualism and was a supply sider who cut taxes across the board resulting in a stimulated economy. He had a spine shown by his resistance to the USSR re. Cuba.
LBJ is more of a stretch because of his socialist expansion of the role of government. Today's GOP were elected for their stance on smaller government, yet have expanded it's role and debt at an unbelievable clip.
The GOP has been moving left since W took office. The Dems have moved radically left, though so it makes the GOP look like they are moving right. For the GOP I am referring to what they DO, not necesarily what they SAY.
I do appreciate that your post was not venomous and hateful. Very enjoyable even if we disagree.
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