Trigger Warning!

[Chizzang]

Every good idea gets hijacked by the extremists...
We have an entire political system where each politician has to pretend they're devoutly faithful
lest they throw away the fringe vote

The lunatic fringe co-opts and over-runs everything worth practicing in small measure

So here we are...

the fringes arent so fringe-y

when you think about it- they're all the morons you were in 8th grade with... remember them? The ones who still read at a 5th grade level - about 30% of the class?

the fringe is a bigger set (on each end) than you may realize

maybe its better not to think about it

My old man kinda said the same thing a few days ago...
which he followed up with
"half the people that you think are stupid are even stupider than you think they are..."

He's a retired Military Doctor so he's allowed to be hilariously snide

[Grizalltheway]

the fringes arent so fringe-y

when you think about it- they're all the morons you were in 8th grade with... remember them? The ones who still read at a 5th grade level - about 30% of the class?

the fringe is a bigger set (on each end) than you may realize

maybe its better not to think about it

My old man kinda said the same thing a few days ago...
which he followed up with
"half the people that you think are stupid are even stupider than you think they are..."

He's a retired Military Doctor so he's allowed to be hilariously snide

Whoa dude. You're hurting my head with all these fractions.

[UNI88]

Every good idea gets hijacked by the extremists...
We have an entire political system where each politician has to pretend they're devoutly faithful
lest they throw away the fringe vote

The lunatic fringe co-opts and over-runs everything worth practicing in small measure

So here we are...

the fringes arent so fringe-y

when you think about it- they're all the morons you were in 8th grade with... remember them? The ones who still read at a 5th grade level - about 30% of the class?

the fringe is a bigger set (on each end) than you may realize

maybe its better not to think about it

Those 30% aren't all liberals, 15% are fringe liberals and 15% are fringe conservatives. Their end goals might be different but their opposition to independent thinking is very similar. Ideology isn't measured on a straight line, it's a circle where the fringe elements meet at the bottom.

[JohnStOnge]

Liberalism created the situation.

This antithetical to liberalism, John.

I think you really know that is not true. There is NO force more hostile to free thought than what we call "Liberalism" in today's context.

Liberals are all for thought as long as it doesn't contradict Liberalism. When it does there is absolutely no tolerance for it. And I know you know that's true.

[kalm]

This antithetical to liberalism, John.

I think you really know that is not true. There is NO force more hostile to free thought than what we call "Liberalism" in today's context.

Liberals are all for thought as long as it doesn't contradict Liberalism. When it does there is absolutely no tolerance for it. And I know you know that's true.

All liberals? Are you sure? Is liberalism some sort of monolithic political movement I should be concerned about? I mean your description is the opposite of the root word of liberalism. Is it some sort of wolf in sheep's clothing?

Please elaborate.

[AZGrizFan]

I think you really know that is not true. There is NO force more hostile to free thought than what we call "Liberalism" in today's context.

Liberals are all for thought as long as it doesn't contradict Liberalism. When it does there is absolutely no tolerance for it. And I know you know that's true.

All liberals? Are you sure? Is liberalism some sort of monolithic political movement I should be concerned about? I mean your description is the opposite of the root word of liberalism. Is it some sort of wolf in sheep's clothing?

Please elaborate.

Ah, the irony, no?

[CID1990]

the fringes arent so fringe-y

when you think about it- they're all the morons you were in 8th grade with... remember them? The ones who still read at a 5th grade level - about 30% of the class?

the fringe is a bigger set (on each end) than you may realize

maybe its better not to think about it

Those 30% aren't all liberals, 15% are fringe liberals and 15% are fringe conservatives. Their end goals might be different but their opposition to independent thinking is very similar. Ideology isn't measured on a straight line, it's a circle where the fringe elements meet at the bottom.

didn't i say that?

[kalm]

All liberals? Are you sure? Is liberalism some sort of monolithic political movement I should be concerned about? I mean your description is the opposite of the root word of liberalism. Is it some sort of wolf in sheep's clothing?

Please elaborate.

Ah, the irony, no?

No kidding! Who the hell started this thread anyway?

[YoUDeeMan]

All liberals? Are you sure? Is liberalism some sort of monolithic political movement I should be concerned about? I mean your description is the opposite of the root word of liberalism. Is it some sort of wolf in sheep's clothing?

Please elaborate.

Ah, the irony, no?

Exactly.

I think we can all agree that today's liberalism is tied closely to the idea of pushing the needs of the lowest common (and more recently, the lowest uncommon small but vocal) denominator, over the needs of the brightest and best of our planet.

Dumb people breed like rats, and are demanding their unalienable rights to take things from others in exchange for doing nothing extraordinary. We've gone from, "I think, therefore I am," to, "I don't want to think, therefore I am entitled."

[kalm]

Ah, the irony, no?

Exactly.

I think we can all agree that today's liberalism is tied closely to the idea of pushing the needs of the lowest common (and more recently, the lowest uncommon small but vocal) denominator, over the needs of the brightest and best of our planet.

Dumb people breed like rats, and are demanding their unalienable rights to take things from others in exchange for doing nothing extraordinary. We've gone from, "I think, therefore I am," to, "I don't want to think, therefore I am entitled."

Ah yes! And I think we can all agree that today's conservatism is tied closely to the idea of a Dickensian world where only the producers and entrenched wealth deserve the riches because they work harder...and the free market.

Like Z, your proving one of the authors points.

[YoUDeeMan]

Exactly.

I think we can all agree that today's liberalism is tied closely to the idea of pushing the needs of the lowest common (and more recently, the lowest uncommon small but vocal) denominator, over the needs of the brightest and best of our planet.

Dumb people breed like rats, and are demanding their unalienable rights to take things from others in exchange for doing nothing extraordinary. We've gone from, "I think, therefore I am," to, "I don't want to think, therefore I am entitled."

Ah yes! And I think we can all agree that today's conservatism is tied closely to the idea of a Dickensian world where only the producers and entrenched wealth deserve the riches because they work harder...and the free market.

Like Z, your proving one of the authors points.

You need to seriously brush up on your reading skills....or at least try to read things without your usual liberal bend.

Exactly which of the author's points do you think I am making?

[kalm]

Ah yes! And I think we can all agree that today's conservatism is tied closely to the idea of a Dickensian world where only the producers and entrenched wealth deserve the riches because they work harder...and the free market.

Like Z, your proving one of the authors points.

You need to seriously brush up on your reading skills....or at least try to read things without your usual liberal bend.

Exactly which of the author's points do you think I am making?

The one about polarization. Quality ideas exist on both sides of the spectrum as do terrible ideas. This whole business about micro aggressions is one of the latter.

I predicted you were too lazy or dumb to read the article.

[YoUDeeMan]

You need to seriously brush up on your reading skills....or at least try to read things without your usual liberal bend.

Exactly which of the author's points do you think I am making?

The one about polarization. Quality ideas exist on both sides of the spectrum as do terrible ideas. This whole business about micro aggressions is one of the latter.

I predicted you were too lazy or dumb to read the article.

I read the article...the difference is that I agree with the author...apparently, you don't.

[kalm]

The one about polarization. Quality ideas exist on both sides of the spectrum as do terrible ideas. This whole business about micro aggressions is one of the latter.

I predicted you were too lazy or dumb to read the article.

I read the article...the difference is that I agree with the author...apparently, you don't.

I totally agree with the author. Like I indicated two posts up.

I apologize for accusing you of not reading the article though.

[AZGrizFan]

Exactly.

I think we can all agree that today's liberalism is tied closely to the idea of pushing the needs of the lowest common (and more recently, the lowest uncommon small but vocal) denominator, over the needs of the brightest and best of our planet.

Dumb people breed like rats, and are demanding their unalienable rights to take things from others in exchange for doing nothing extraordinary. We've gone from, "I think, therefore I am," to, "I don't want to think, therefore I am entitled."

Ah yes! And I think we can all agree that today's conservatism is tied closely to the idea of a Dickensian world where only the producers and entrenched wealth deserve the riches because they work harder...and the free market.

Like Z, your proving one of the authors points.

I didn't prove one of the authors points, I agreed with it. The fact that you somehow think this revalation is breaking news is comical.

[kalm]

Ah yes! And I think we can all agree that today's conservatism is tied closely to the idea of a Dickensian world where only the producers and entrenched wealth deserve the riches because they work harder...and the free market.

Like Z, your proving one of the authors points.

I didn't prove one of the authors points, I agreed with it. The fact that you somehow think this revalation is breaking news is comical.

You don't even know which point I'm talking about. Take a break, Skippy.

[AZGrizFan]

I didn't prove one of the authors points, I agreed with it. The fact that you somehow think this revalation is breaking news is comical.

You don't even know which point I'm talking about. Take a break, Skippy.

That's ok. I'm not sure you do either.

It's a bit nuanced.

[YoUDeeMan]

Ah yes! And I think we can all agree that today's conservatism is tied closely to the idea of a Dickensian world where only the producers and entrenched wealth deserve the riches because they work harder...and the free market.

Like Z, your proving one of the authors points.

I didn't prove one of the authors points, I agreed with it. The fact that you somehow think this revalation is breaking news is comical.

Exactly.

klam is the one actually proving the author's point...he's making up a persecutor...every victim needs one.

[kalm]

I didn't prove one of the authors points, I agreed with it. The fact that you somehow think this revalation is breaking news is comical.

Exactly.

klam is the one actually proving the author's point...he's making up a persecutor...every victim needs one.

Of course I need a persecutor...I'm a liberal, duh!

We're almost as persecuted as right wing white males....

[JohnStOnge]

All liberals? Are you sure? Is liberalism some sort of monolithic political movement I should be concerned about? I mean your description is the opposite of the root word of liberalism. Is it some sort of wolf in sheep's clothing?

Please elaborate.

Population distribution. On balance, the distribution of attitudes among those who would describe themselves as "liberal" represents a repression of free thought.

[Chizzang]

All liberals? Are you sure? Is liberalism some sort of monolithic political movement I should be concerned about? I mean your description is the opposite of the root word of liberalism. Is it some sort of wolf in sheep's clothing?

Please elaborate.

Population distribution. On balance, the distribution of attitudes among those who would describe themselves as "liberal" represents a repression of free thought.

Both Conservatism and Liberalism at their extremes represent repression of free thought
That just the way extremism works

In their moderate forms both Liberalism and Conservatism have AWESOME traits and characteristics



Most healthy adults can see that fact pretty easily

[catbooster]

You, of course unwittingly, are proving one of the author's points.

Not really...the author confirms Z's point.

Liberalism, as a whole, has been taken over by extremism. At this point, most middle ground people would be considered conservatives by Liberals because those middle ground people are not progressing. And, of course, not, "progressing" is seen by Liberals as not...progressing...therefor those middle ground people are a block against the future, so they need to be publicly scolded, vilified, and, ironically, marginalized.

Welcome to the frightening future.

Unfortunately, those in the middle are also considered "Liberals" by the more conservative end of the spectrum. You could basically switch liberal and conservative in the bolded part and it would be about as accurate.

[AZGrizFan]

Not really...the author confirms Z's point.

Liberalism, as a whole, has been taken over by extremism. At this point, most middle ground people would be considered conservatives by Liberals because those middle ground people are not progressing. And, of course, not, "progressing" is seen by Liberals as not...progressing...therefor those middle ground people are a block against the future, so they need to be publicly scolded, vilified, and, ironically, marginalized.

Welcome to the frightening future.

Unfortunately, those in the middle are also considered "Liberals" by the more conservative end of the spectrum.

Yep. Those to the far left think moderates are conservative.

[kalm]

Unfortunately, those in the middle are also considered "Liberals" by the more conservative end of the spectrum.

Yep. Those to the far left think moderates are conservative.

Yep. There are some who think Hillary and Obama are Jill Stein and Bernie Sanders.

[Ivytalk]

Yep. Those to the far left think moderates are conservative.

Yep. There are some who think Hillary and Obama are Jill Stein and Bernie Sanders.

Aren't they?