Random political thought thread.

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I just want to watch the (other peoples) world burn.

I'm not a guy that wants to watch the world burn, but if the world is burning and I find something funny about it, I'm going to laugh and roll my eyes a little by anyone upset at me for not displaying the proper sentiments. What the fuck difference does it make to anybody if I'm laughing my ass off or curled up on a fetal position on the floor? At least I go to the grave with a smile on my face, which was something everyone used to consider so important back in the day.

As someone with who has had major depressive episodes, it's hard for me to see why I owe anyone the outward display of feeling shitty because social conformity and norms. Now because it's everybody I guess it's ok not to feel happy all the time and even mandatory that I feel like shit? Sure, whatever.

I mean, people really think channeling this

is the best way to combat neo-fascism. That's sad, but it's also kind of hilarious because it's so ridiculous that grown adults, who fashion themselves as being "pragmatic" about the world, would think that would even work. What sheltered lives they must have led.

 

[The Cat]

When cynics wear the mask of idealism and idealists are forged by the world into cynics...must be the modern age...

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

When cynics wear the mask of idealism and idealists are forged by the world into cynics...must be the modern age...

Which one do you think I am?

 

[Burning Paradigm]

When cynics wear the mask of idealism and idealists are forged by the world into cynics...must be the modern age...

A vicious cycle indeed. I don't believe in the naive type of idealism, I'd prefer to think I'm an "idealist without illusions". Cynicism is understandable with the way contemporary politics and society are. But, ironically, though, some forms of cynicism turn into a perverse type of idealism, as if they want the world to be a dark shade of gray just to sustain their worldview and so they can claim to know what's "really going on".

 

[The Cat]

A vicious cycle indeed. I don't believe in the naive type of idealism, I'd prefer to think I'm an "idealist without illusions". Cynicism is understandable with the way contemporary politics and society are. But, ironically, though, some forms of cynicism turn into a perverse type of idealism, as if they want the world to be a dark shade of gray just to sustain their worldview and so they can claim to know what's "really going on".

a vicious *iintricate* cycle...

 

[ceecee]

Overthrowing the CCP from Columbus Ohio.

 

[Lark]

Overthrowing the CCP from Columbus Ohio.

Oh good, they have finally moved on from fighting the British then? Always fighting the last battle

 

[Kephalos]

Oh good, they have finally moved on from fighting the British then? Always fighting the last battle

I confess I prefer the British (the English the most) to the Americans among the Anglosphere countries plus Ireland. But, this remark is unfair. I'd say that the Americans have sided, or at least has been on the same side as, Britain many times: before and even after WWII (when they didn't have to).

 

[Virtual ghost]

Overthrowing the CCP from Columbus Ohio.

The message doesn't bother me.
But the best part is that this is probably the person that will do just about everything in practical sense that this doesn't happen. Making sure that public education works, that public health hazards are solved as quickly as possible, that general social stability goes up, electing politicians that actually know something about how the world works ..... etc.

 

[The Cat]

 

[Lark]

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Wikipedia

Been listening to this in the car lately, its narrated by Nick Offerman, which has the added advantage of allowing me to imagine its Ron Swanson reading it.

I really love this book, a lot of Twain's writing is, weirdly I think, considered to be childrens stories. This book is some kind of revolutionary, subversive masterpiece. The bad guys are, of course, the traditional opponents of republican, liberal and democratic ideals, so its mainly church/clericism, monarchy, knighthood and superstition that's attacked but there's good attacks on slavery too.

I'm a socialist and I can still see how its a great book of its kind.

 

[The Cat]

But the democrats need my money to help them buy their seats in 2022 to stop this...even though theyre in the majority now...weird.

 

[Red Herring]

I am watching a 20 year old news clip. It's the evening news from June 8th 2001 from German public television.

There's a second landslide victory for Labour in the UK but extremely low voter turnout ("How Tony Blair's government will be judged in the history books will probably depend on how he leads his country into the monetary union" - lol!). The foreign correspondent in London hints at a need for lots of reforms and improvements during the next few years.

The reform of the EU constitution treaty is temporarily stopped by the NO vote in Ireland.

There are elections in Iran with high voter turnout. The relatively liberal reformer Chatami seems likely to be reelected. There is a thirst for democratic reform, but the conservative revolutionary council is keeping a thumb on things.

Macedonia agrees not to use martial law as the UCK rebel situation at its northern border worsens. Will there ever be an independent Kosovo?

In Japan a 37 year old adult man with mental health issues entered a school and killed 8 students with a knife. He is wrestled down by teachers and later declares to the police that he was suicidal and hoping to be executed.

Two teenagers in the East of Germany are sentenced to prison terms for trying to kill a homeless man (likely rightwing extremists)

In other news the USA are helping negotiate the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.

As for the weather: some sunshine in the center of the country but rain at the coast and in the Alps.

 

[The Cat]

 

[ceecee]

 

[Burning Paradigm]

I am watching a 20 year old news clip. It's the evening news from June 8th 2001 from German public television.

There's a second landslide victory for Labour in the UK but extremely low voter turnout ("How Tony Blair's government will be judged in the history books will probably depend on how he leads his country into the monetary union" - lol!). The foreign correspondent in London hints at a need for lots of reforms and improvements during the next few years.

The reform of the EU constitution treaty is temporarily stopped by the NO vote in Ireland.

There are elections in Iran with high voter turnout. The relatively liberal reformer Chatami seems likely to be reelected. There is a thirst for democratic reform, but the conservative revolutionary council is keeping a thumb on things.

Macedonia agrees not to use martial law as the UCK rebel situation at its northern border worsens. Will there ever be an independent Kosovo?

In Japan a 37 year old adult man with mental health issues entered a school and killed 8 students with a knife. He is wrestled down by teachers and later declares to the police that he was suicidal and hoping to be executed.

Two teenagers in the East of Germany are sentenced to prison terms for trying to kill a homeless man (likely rightwing extremists)

In other news the USA are helping negotiate the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine.

As for the weather: some sunshine in the center of the country but rain at the coast and in the Alps.

If you like old news clips, you might find this montage fascinating as well.

 

[The Cat]

 

[The Cat]

 

[Burning Paradigm]

Texans: "Can we have a decent power grid?"

 

[Patches]

Hear me out here. We don't let people operate a car without taking a test first, because people are fucking stupid and cars are dangerous. We need to assess a basic modicum of understanding before you get to get behind the wheel for the safety of yourself and everyone around you. I think a lot of people even argue that we need more stringent monitoring of that testing process, because of the large swaths of the population that statistically have a higher incidence of problems with said operation of dangerous vehicles.

Yet, every goddamn mouthbreather with a fucking pulse can get a fucking gun. Explain that shit to me. Because I would really like to stop meeting people after they've shot themselves in the leg with their own fucking gun while cleaning it. Every. Goddamn. Week.

"ThE LIbeRaLs aRe CoMiNg FoR oUr GuNs OoooOOooOOoo..." No we fucking aren't. Like it or not, I acknowledge that guns are WAY too ingrained in our culture for them to be going anywhere. I've accepted it. Fearing literally ANY legislation regarding guns on the basis that you're scared of us "coming for your guns" is hindering progress toward making gun ownership safer and more reasonable.

If we're gonna do guns, can we please do it smarter? Can we just assume everyone is too fucking stupid until proven otherwise, like we do with cars?