Personal attacks are sometimes a smoke screen

Personal attacks and endless moralizing takes people away from the subject and can lead to many endless attempts to "milk the rat".  Liberals are particularly prone to moralizing and moralization.  Yes we are up against human filth.  They are just a bunch of crooks.  But, that is not the main point.  Crooks incite fear and ANGER in order to produce demoralization and gullibility.  This process creates blind spots.  It stops thought and insight dead in its tracks.   

The scum practiced their vicious tactics with the help of Newt Gingrich and others for years.  If they can incite fear, anger, and moralizing  they can blind you and take you down.  Never try to educate or deal with these people in terms of facts or ideas.  They seek only advantage.   Facts and ideas are like kitchen knives.  They will pick out the ones they want so they can stab you in the chest or the back.

Fear and anger are tiresome.  Cold black hatred is serene. 

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1094 comments) on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 12:13:34 PM
 

Sociopaths On-line

People can agree to dis-agree. People can have a variety of opinions, facts and what-not. But they MUST demonstrate empathy and a conscience to be taken seriously. We may not agree on how to make the world better, but must demonstrate that we want the world TO BE a better place for all. If not, you're just dealing with a sociopath. There is NO way to win, except not to play. These are not just my opinions, there's more here:

http://greatreddragon.com/ref/conscience.htm :: ::

I hope that just the knowledge that others have written about such things, will be of benefit. I'm 60 now, and have only known about this for a few years. Sure wish I'd known this back in my 20's. Just naive, I guess.

by Edward Ulysses Cate (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 217 comments) on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 7:56:08 PM
 

Catchy line but isn't that the same

 old name calling? Sociopaths are people with a real diagnoseable disorder. How do you know they are infact sociopaths without testing and protracted psychiatric  observation? You don'ttherefore aren't you indulging in exactly what you condemn. By the way Sociopaths have no conscience they are usually very charming convincing and totally self obsessed.

I think you were refering to expressed imaturity of some. Recent brain tests showed that the reasoning part of the brain may not reach maturity untill the mid 20's. Then again I think we can all point to some who seem never to mature.

It is interesting to note that mathematicians usually peak before 40.

Einstein's best work took place before he was 38 and spent the rest of his pioneering life trying to recapture the high ground of his youth.

Philosophers tend to create their best works later.

I think it is more than co-incidence that most tribal peoples revere the widom of their elders. Yet our commercialy orientated societies focus on youth and as a consequence are nowhere near as stable more emotionally manipulated.

by Andris (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 532 comments) on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 8:43:08 PM
 

It is unacceptable but don't throw the baby out with the

 Bath water. Consider not every one is articulate, inellectually capable or as wise as they should be.

Cheri the US is one of the few nations in the world that allow such scurulous lies distortion on the individual to happen. Australia has strong vilification  and libel laws. Many of the articals I've seen on the net would get the authors sued and or prosecuted here. Is this suppression of freedomf of speach I don't think so it comes down to matter of self disciplin. I can get stuck into some poli but I simply need to be able to prove what I say.

Comments I have seen on Oped that have bothered me where they refer to a particular politicion as a whore to corporations, gutless, spineless animals etc. I simply ask how does the above purple prose achieve ? who does it convince? One thing is for sure she won't be disposed to listening to that persons point of view.

That sort of vile prose tends close discussion not open them up for an exchange of ideas. and if a respose is given offten it is equally vitriolic starting a free fall into defence and ever increasing bile.

Mr Hanks is right when the response from power is agression one can then judge how close to the uncomfortable truth you are. The harder the response the near is the truth.

by Andris (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 532 comments) on Sunday, December 23, 2007 at 8:52:51 PM
 

All true but...

I am talking more about those who log onto a forum and feel empowered by their anonymity. The types that would never behave in public the way they do on the Internet.

by Cheri Roberts-Piper (16 articles, 15 quicklinks, 9 diaries, 430 comments) on Monday, December 24, 2007 at 9:33:52 AM