The Sage Garden

[Oakvale]

As President he was more of a Social Democrat

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How depressing.

Unfortunately, socialism (especially democratic socialism) tends to do badly when confined to one small country, as international investors will invariably favor states where they can extract a greater profit. Socialism, like capitalism, has to be a global system (or at least a significant portion of the globe) to succeed.

[Oakvale]

Authoritarian corporatist war criminal thug.

The really sage part is the "like most people in politics" that he followed that with.

[Oakvale]

Inaugural non-Snowstalker entry:

Personhood begins whenever a majority of other sentient beings (or, rather, just the most powerful ones) deem a specific organism worthy of carrying such a distinction.  Slaves were not people before their emancipation just like rubicks cubes are not people today, for example.

[Oakvale]

What is this thread?

It's for failed attempts at edginess or profundity. Preferably both.

[Oakvale]

Obviously.

He's absolutely despicable, but there is obviously no better alternative.

(Of course,)

[Oakvale]

Meta:

Ultimately voted FF because I'm chum in the middle of the ocean, and most of the sharks are bigger HP's than I am.

[Oakvale]

The primary difference is that Cathcon is funny and possesses self-awareness.

[Oakvale]

Cathcon can be an arrogant prick sometimes. Sure, he's no Snowstalker, but that's not a reason to make him immune of any criticism.

The only way I can see someone thinking this is if you assume Cathcon isn't intentionally being hyperbolic 99% of the time.

[Oakvale]

Cathcon can be an arrogant prick sometimes. Sure, he's no Snowstalker, but that's not a reason to make him immune of any criticism.

The only way I can see someone thinking this is if you assume Cathcon isn't intentionally being hyperbolic 99% of the time.

I'd say constant intentional hyperbole is a form of arrogance. Obviously, it's something we're all guilty of, but it can be a great thing or a horrible thing depending on how often you do it, the way you do it, and the topics in regard to which you do it. Cathcon's just rubs me the wrong way sometimes, though I'll admit it's entirely subjective.

I understand. Personally I enjoy Cathcon as an example of how a schtick (in his case the jaded conservative horrified and pessimistic and the social collapse around him) can be entertaining without being obnoxious.

[Oakvale]

Snowstalkers second post in that thread is probably far more sage than the first.

Essentially.

[Oakvale]

Defending sexual predators is vile IMO. I know that's apparently a controversial opinion these days but there you go.

opebo has certainly defended sexual predators, but his action in Thailand, though illicit, represent voluntary transactions. Either that, or both that and the sweatshops in the developing world are exploitative.

Shout out to the classic "Rich coming from someone who supports sweatshops" burn attempt on Gully.

[Oakvale]

Did Snowstalker seriously end two consecutive posts in the SOTU thread with the exact same Thomas Sankara quote or am I dreaming?

I think he did. The problem with sage is that it stems from a limited intellectual palette so some recycling is obviously necessary. Nevertheless I hope this will finally lead to Snowstalker's ban since admitted trolling is presumably a ToS violation.

And remember,

"He who feeds you, controls you" - Thomas Sankara

[Oakvale]

As has been pointed out, what makes something sage is not the truth value of the post but the size of said Truths.

[Oakvale]

Several dead, including a couple killed by pro-government militia (FTR I don't support any of the violence on either side) and one member of said militia killed by the fascists (proof that these are anything but "peaceful protests" and probably part of another coup plan).

I'm sure Obama has something to do with it just like Bush did 12 years ago; he wants that oil, and the Western media will surely portray these as peaceful, idealistic democratic protesters, which is a blatant lie.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2014/02/venezuela-anti-government-rally-turns-deadly-2014212195829466475.html

[Oakvale]

I think that was actually failed sage since Snowstalker inexplicably excluded the evil neoliberal crusade against Milosevic from that list.

[Oakvale]

The Sage of Lancaster goes full Paultard:

Though it is amusing that Obama is more concerned about the Ukrainian constitution than America's.

[Oakvale]

Guys, guys. Remember the important principle of this thread - sage is not defined by whether a statement is arguably true, but by the size of said Truth.

(Kemp's explanation is also correct)

[Oakvale]

Right-wing sage is comparatively rare simply because the comparable rhetoric has been adopted by right-wing political parties to the extent that it can be hard to distinguish partisan bloviating from true sage scholarship - for example, "socialism will of course destroy this country" is not sage, but the comparable "neoliberal hegemony will of course destroy this country" is a clear example thereof.

This means that right-wing sage is potentially more valuable and even more cringeworthy. The quoted post is a sagebomb of Snowstalkersque proportions.

[Oakvale]

All human systems are, at their core, ideological constructs. To reject the system, one must reject the ideology.

[Oakvale]

Guntaker, calling TNF sage is ridiculous and misses the point entirely. Someone who has actually studied and sincerely believes in Marxist principles as opposed to simply regurgitating something they found on Wikipedia is not a sage scholar. It's unfortunate that this thread has been misappropriated in such a manner.

[Oakvale]

Sage is like pornography, guys. You know it when you see it.

[Oakvale]

"The Muslim"

Of course the Muslim is ready for democracy. In many ways he is more purely democratic than the Western man. And therein lies the problem: Islamic democracy is an illiberal democracy; it chooses raw majoritarianism over selective protectioms for minorities. Don't criticize Islam for being incompatible with democracy, then, but with liberalism.

Let this be a reminder that Einzige was the original pseud, far overshadowing Snowstalker's comparatively mild sage scholarship.

[Oakvale]

Oh, fantastic, tarheel leftist is back. The original True Leftist and one of our few posters who literally should  be institutionalised.

[Oakvale]

With guns, I would be against banning them entirely.  But, I would require a license and registration as well as a legitimate reason to own a gun, whether it's working as a law enforcement officer or hunting.

A government by and for the 1% which violates human rights at home and abroad isn't reason enough?

[Oakvale]

fascistii