Why Are Republicans At War With Reality?

HughFreakingDillon said:

brianlux said:

BS44325 said:

backseatLover12 said:

To think “logically,” people must think calmly and clearly, rationally, so obviously to keep that from happening emotions must be created to keep rational thinking out of the picture. Fear, racism, anger, selfishness, hatred and war all drive out cool, collected thinking, so obviously fear, racism, anger, selfishness, hatred and war have to be promoted at all cost … cost is no problem when the future of the 0.01 percent’s fortunes and power are at stake.

The problem with this quote is that it assumes your fellow citizens are stupid. That they cannot think for themselves. That you are enlightened yet they are rubes. You are rational while their minds arw under the control of the 0.01%. It's quite an elitist attitude.

Well, yeah, I actually think that's about right... only I wouldn't use words like "stupid" or "rubes", but I would say too many of my fellow citizens are uninformed, uneducated, incurious, apathetic, disinterested, lazy or any combination of those traits. And I know some people who are very much like that whom I care very much for but I also know I wouldn't want them making major decisions regarding important matters... unless it's something like bringing the guacamole to the party.

Kat said:

thread derailed.

backseatLover12 said:

backseatLover12 said:

benjs said:

backseatLover12 said:

hedonist said:

backseatLover12 said:

I just think that this topic is a perfect example of how our emotions can get the best of us, things are taken personally when they shouldn't be, and the staying on track is often lost due to emotional charge. The sooner we stop taking things emotionally personal, the better these forums can be.
Again, this post is not meant toward anyone specific, and my words are just words.

Having emotions isn't a bad thing (and for whatever it's worth, one can feel and react, and not have it "get the best of us"). It's not necessarily tantamount to stomping feet and calling names. It can guide us, lend to insights.

I'd rather have that humanness enter into issues constructively. Seems like it did here.

Finally, yes it did.

Not sure if you've read Ishmael, but that book always got me thinking. If we accept that we evolve in ways that lead to our continued existence in this universe (like animals with defences from predators, trees with roots to collect moisture, etc), then the evolution to feel so deeply as we do is a factor in our continued existence too (i.e. the fact that we are inherently empathetic is by design, not coincidence). Then, what does it say about us as a species if we opt to neglect a feature intrinsic to our design in favour of ones that aren't (like gluttony, greed, and apathy)?

It's been almost 10 years since I read it, and I've been thinking about rereading it again. (thanks for the reminder!) If any book has gotten me to think about things, it's that book. One of my all-time faves.

What I was talking about with acting on our emotions rather than cool-headed logic, is that perhaps when it comes to politics, keeping logic in check rather than getting carried away with emotions, that lead to acting on our emotions rather than logic, doesn't work out. It doesn't work out for the country. It doesn't work out in the forum settings when one carries that emotion onto a personal level, for sure, making a topic into a personal feelings and emotions and losing logic altogether. Somewhere there's got to be a balance.

But you've got me thinking about evolution and how we may neglect that natural empathetic nature. Certainly power, money, and ego have something to do with it. The artificial things… But I'm going to think more about that.

Looking for a reply from Benjs.

Back on topic. (because cilantro rules!)

brianlux said:

backseatLover12 said:

backseatLover12 said:

benjs said:

backseatLover12 said:

hedonist said:

backseatLover12 said:

I just think that this topic is a perfect example of how our emotions can get the best of us, things are taken personally when they shouldn't be, and the staying on track is often lost due to emotional charge. The sooner we stop taking things emotionally personal, the better these forums can be.
Again, this post is not meant toward anyone specific, and my words are just words.

Having emotions isn't a bad thing (and for whatever it's worth, one can feel and react, and not have it "get the best of us"). It's not necessarily tantamount to stomping feet and calling names. It can guide us, lend to insights.

I'd rather have that humanness enter into issues constructively. Seems like it did here.

Finally, yes it did.

Not sure if you've read Ishmael, but that book always got me thinking. If we accept that we evolve in ways that lead to our continued existence in this universe (like animals with defences from predators, trees with roots to collect moisture, etc), then the evolution to feel so deeply as we do is a factor in our continued existence too (i.e. the fact that we are inherently empathetic is by design, not coincidence). Then, what does it say about us as a species if we opt to neglect a feature intrinsic to our design in favour of ones that aren't (like gluttony, greed, and apathy)?

It's been almost 10 years since I read it, and I've been thinking about rereading it again. (thanks for the reminder!) If any book has gotten me to think about things, it's that book. One of my all-time faves.

What I was talking about with acting on our emotions rather than cool-headed logic, is that perhaps when it comes to politics, keeping logic in check rather than getting carried away with emotions, that lead to acting on our emotions rather than logic, doesn't work out. It doesn't work out for the country. It doesn't work out in the forum settings when one carries that emotion onto a personal level, for sure, making a topic into a personal feelings and emotions and losing logic altogether. Somewhere there's got to be a balance.

But you've got me thinking about evolution and how we may neglect that natural empathetic nature. Certainly power, money, and ego have something to do with it. The artificial things… But I'm going to think more about that.

Looking for a reply from Benjs.

Back on topic. (because cilantro rules!)

Fair enough!

I loved the book ISHMAEL. Quinn quite a bit refers to tribalism with its roots in pre-agricultural humans. Empathy, cooperation, mutual support are key elements of tribal communities. We could use a lot more of that.

brianlux said:

I think we need to head Kat's subtle warning and get this thread back on track.

As much as I hate to admit it, The Republican party is not all evil. I know some very fine folks who are registered Republican. But the party is like a salad. When I was a kid it was fairly basic and there lots of greens in the party. Same with the Republican party. It once was populated with conservationists. For example, though not the perfect environmentalist, Teddy Roosevelt did pave the way to having much land set aside. But today, like the fancy salads we see now, we find some rather nasty ingredients like cilantro tossed in the mix which wrecks havoc on the whole party.

Boss Kat, please forgive me, the devil made me do it. (And if it makes you feel better, my wife loves cilantro too).