Vanity Fair editor thinks we are angry teenagers...with guns

[The Annoyed Man]

I've seen it so much: An attitude of arrogance, because that person has the key to The Ultimate Truth. It's very hard to deal with a person like that, unless they have enough intelligence to be open to discussion (but then, they wouldn't be arrogant). And, yes, it often does have to do with intelligence (properly, the ability to learn and adapt). Of course, we all have to be open to that, but the Progressives/Liberals (man, what misnomers) become stuck in a paradigm of "Justice for those who are Worthy." Often, they've likely "fallen for the Party line" (hmmm, brings some history to mind).

This arrogance leads very much to hypocrisy, as stated by philosophers from Plato onwards. Plato's Republic required a basic level of competence among the leaders, which Progressives seem to assume for themselves. Actually, Plato's meritocracy was based on true merit of the ruling class. Democracy (I believe) is based on the idea that no group has true merit, but true merit comes from the sum of all.

When their ability to lead is questioned, or someone in authority gets in their way (such as the true owners of this Country), Progressives see it as an unwarranted personal attack against themselves and their view of Truth. I believe that is how the Demos became the "Party of Hate" (as I've labeled them) over the past 10 years, leading them to their constant personal attacks on specific Republicans to try to convince voters of The Truth. A tactic, by the way, that Republicans have also used on occasion and which the Demos see as "unacceptable" (to which I agree).

It's time for all to bite our tongues and get on with getting things done, since the trouble that is coming in the next two years (and I don't mean politics) will become far more important than any battle of philosophy. Respect will be an important tool in the kit for everyone.

ETA: I just realized that this seems to be a blanket condemnation, which was not my intent. Certainly it only takes a few Leaders to become the face of an entire organization/philosophy, and it becomes easy to criticize the many because of the few. My apologies if I offended.

Oldschool, you might enjoy this particular article by Peggy Noonan:

Americans Vote for Maturity
Obama gets a rebuke, but so do Republicans who seem unqualified.
http://online.wsj.com/article/declarations.html

'The people have spoken, the bastards." That would be how Democrats in the White House and on Capitol Hill are feeling. The last two years of their leadership have been rebuffed. The question for the Democratic Party: Was it worth it? Was it worth following the president and the speaker in their mad pursuit of liberal legislation that the country would not, could not, like? And what will you do now? Which path will you take?

The Republicans saw their own establishment firmly, sharply put down. The question for them: What will you do to show yourselves worthy of the bounty?

The Republicans won big, but both parties return to Washington chastened. Good.

Two small points on the election's atmospherics that carry implications for the future. The first is that negative ads became boring, unpersuasive. Forty years ago they were new, exciting in a sort of prurient way. Now voters take for granted that politicians are no good, and such ads are just more polluted water going over the waterfall. The biggest long-term loser: liberalism. If all pols are sleazoid crooks, then why would people want to give them more governmental power to order our lives? The implicit message of two generations of negative ads: Vote conservative, limit the reach of the thieves.

There's more. I generally find Noonan to be a bit squishy on some things, and when the Tea Party movement first popped up, she was not sympathetic - being herself part of the Republican establishment for a long time. But she seems to have come around a bit.

[Purplehood]

Leninism:

Leninism is a political theory and practice of the dictatorship of the proletariat, led by a revolutionary vanguard party. Developed by and named after Russian revolutionary and politician Vladimir Lenin, Leninism comprises political and socialist economic theories, developed from Marxism

If this is not an accurate description of the current democratic party, I don't know what is.....

This election has restored faith in my fellow citizen for being able to recognize and remove harmful influences within our nation.

While I do NOT place much faith in ANY political party, it is not too difficult to identify which is the more harmful to our nation.

IMO, the democratic party no longer exists, as it has been usurped by communists. The democratic party is a legitimate threat to the American way of life as we know it...

I don't have a problem with the Democrats renaming themselves as either Communists or Socialists, though I think the latter is more appropriate. As far as I can tell there is no law against either party in the US. I totally despise both, but I support their right to exist in the USA.
It is my belief that the USA will not soon go the way of the Dinosaurs, the Roman Empire and the Denver Broncos winning-seasons. I believe that our political system once-again has proved itself with its built-in defenses against our version of civilization falling into decay and being swallowed up by the latest version of Barbarians. The pendulum created by our system swings back and forth equally...sometimes it takes large swings, and sometimes it takes tiny swings. In any event, it always swings the other way around.

[OldSchool]

Oldschool, you might enjoy this particular article by Peggy Noonan:
There's more. I generally find Noonan to be a bit squishy on some things, and when the Tea Party movement first popped up, she was not sympathetic - being herself part of the Republican establishment for a long time. But she seems to have come around a bit.

I love Peggy Noonan's writing. She works hard to see both sides, and gives full rationale. If we decide to drop WSJ (their rates -- and their erroneous reporting -- have become disgusting), I'll truly miss reading her columns.

[OldSchool]

Vanity Fair is a mag for teenaged females. Those people have the brains of a gnat.

Well, that's not a very nice statement... Gnats everywhere should be insulted!

I suspect the teenage females in my Physics classes would also be insulted.

[LarryH]

Vanity Fair is a mag for teenaged females. Those people have the brains of a gnat.

Well, that's not a very nice statement... Gnats everywhere should be insulted!

I suspect the teenage females in my Physics classes would also be insulted.

The teenage females in your physics classes probably don't read Vanity Fair.

[WildBill]

Vanity Fair is a mag for teenaged females. Those people have the brains of a gnat.

Well, that's not a very nice statement... Gnats everywhere should be insulted!

I suspect the teenage females in my Physics classes would also be insulted.

The teenage females in your physics classes probably don't read Vanity Fair.

Here's one for your physics students.

Heisenberg was driving down the street one day, going a little too fast.
A cop pulls him over and asks: "Do you know how fast you were going?"
Heisenberg relied, "No, but I know exactly where I am."
Well maybe not rlol, but cute.

[OldSchool]

Vanity Fair is a mag for teenaged females. Those people have the brains of a gnat.

Well, that's not a very nice statement... Gnats everywhere should be insulted!

I suspect the teenage females in my Physics classes would also be insulted.

The teenage females in your physics classes probably don't read Vanity Fair.

Here's one for your physics students.

Heisenberg was driving down the street one day, going a little too fast.
A cop pulls him over and asks: "Do you know how fast you were going?"
Heisenberg relied, "No, but I know exactly where I am."
Well maybe not rlol, but cute.

Agree, cute!

[Skiprr]

Heisenberg was driving down the street one day, going a little too fast.
A cop pulls him over and asks: "Do you know how fast you were going?"
Heisenberg relied, "No, but I know exactly where I am."
Well maybe not rlol, but cute.

And I thought I was the only one who might appreciate a Blog I wrote a couple of months ago... http://itsmadviser.com/blog/?p=233

Thank ya, WildBill.

[LarryH]

Heisenberg, Schrodinger . . .

The class of this thread just went WAY UP

[OldSchool]

Heisenberg, Schrodinger . . .

The class of this thread just went WAY UP

Jist you wait 'til we start throwin' some equations around!!

Oh, dang, went off topic again....

[LarryH]

must . . . resist . . . temptation . . .

Oh, shucks!!

F = dp/dt

[OldSchool]

must . . . resist . . . temptation . . .

Oh, shucks!!

F = dp/dt

Welcome to the Dark Side.

[terryg]

Heisenberg was driving down the street one day, going a little too fast.
A cop pulls him over and asks: "Do you know how fast you were going?"
Heisenberg relied, "No, but I know exactly where I am."
Well maybe not rlol, but cute.

I love these!

To avoid further hijacking, I created a Geek Jokes thread here.

[OldSchool]

Heisenberg was driving down the street one day, going a little too fast.
A cop pulls him over and asks: "Do you know how fast you were going?"
Heisenberg relied, "No, but I know exactly where I am."
Well maybe not rlol, but cute.

I love these!

To avoid further hijacking, I created a Geek Jokes thread here.

GEEK JOKES?

[terryg]

GEEK JOKES?

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend. Perhaps I should have said:

Jokes Similarly Themed Around Concepts Generally Considered Esoteric And Usually Only Discussed In Academic Settings. ?