Are you a Gully Foylist? (No, of course you are not, but try this test anyway)

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Everyone else is doing it... Here are 20 statements I happen to agree with, probably not typical ones they are really more philosophical rather than political ones (I don't really have political opinions anymore), but none the less:

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.
2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.
3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.
4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.
5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.
6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.
7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.
8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.
9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.
10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the state
11. ... Which will probably never happen.
12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc)
13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.
14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.
15. Tourism is the opposite of travel.
16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.
17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero.
18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.
19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.
20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)
21. "The Misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
22. OMG I LOVE RALPH NADER!!!11 300 IS FASCIST!!!!111. No, actually, ignore this one.

[afleitch]

1. Tick
2. Tick
3. Cross
4. Cross - but only because certain systems of belief are simply dangerous regardless of how it is practiced (fascism, racial based ideology etc)
5. Cross - a far too broad brush approach to education.
6. See above
7. Tick
8. Tick. Unfortunately for many, they do not self question.
9. Tick
10. Tick - although societies would still be formed with some inbuilt control 'mechanism'. Better a political state than a Holy See or Caliphate.
11. Tick
12. Double Tick
13. Tick
14. Tick
15. Tick - as travel doesn't always entail a stop between 'a' and 'b' - but I don't quite know what you're getting at.
16. Tick
17. Cross. I always thought of him as both 'nihilist' and a 'tool'
18. Cross. Careerism can be disengaged from the pursuit of money, such as religious vocation and charity work. Therefore it can be more admirable to pursue a career rather than money
19. Tick. Or the second proposition that they 'should be like Americans'
20. Tick.
21. It's Sunday. I need to think on that one
22. Ignored

[SPC]

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.
Agree

2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.
Not really sure if I understand the statement.

3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.
Agree

4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.
I guess I agree, but isn't that kind of obvious from the start?

5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.
Agree

6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.
Disagree

7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.
Disagree, there are bigger problems with education today.

8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.
Agree

9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.
Strongly Disagree

10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the state
Agree, though I would think that would be self-explanatory that you would have to lay down the blueprints of your philosophy before implementing it.

11. ... Which will probably never happen.
I'm an optimist, so Disagree.

12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc)
Agree

13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.
Left-wing and Right-wing are fictional terms, so Agree.

14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.
Not really sure I understand what you mean.

15. Tourism is the opposite of travel.
Disagree.

16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.
Strongly Disagree, on the contrary, I would say it is the most consistent political ideology you will find.

17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero.
Agree, I guess.

18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.
Strongly Disagree.

19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.
Agree

20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)
Not sure what you mean. If you are referring to collectivism, then agree.

21. "The Misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

1. Disagree
2. Disagree
3. Disagree
4. Disagree for the most part, nationalism is always dangerous for example
5. Disagree
6. N/A
7. Disagree
8. Stupid point
9. Agree if you mean "small government" as Libertarians.
10. Disagree
11. Agree
12. Agree, sounds like Mike Naso
13. Agree see above
14. Uh I guess
15. Disagree, that makes no sense
16. Disagree with the first, Agree with the second
17. Don't know who he is
18. Disagree
19. Eh, kind of
20. Whatever that means
21. *yawn*
22. Disagree

[Filuwaúrdjan]

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.

Observably true, and has been getting worse for decades (although perhaps the unusual thing is the way the pattern was partially (but never more than that) submerged during the bulk of the 20th century. It "getting worse" may just be a return to form).

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Often true, yes. But there's a lot of, for want of a better term, oppositionalism. If the the Democrats were to loudly support green paper and the opposite of green paper was defined as being orange paper, the chances of the Republicans loudly supporting orange paper would be rather high, and vice versa. I mean, you can make that argument of most political systems, but there's more to it with the American one because of the unusual nature of the parties.

Another factor here, of course, is the role of extremely rich (and utterly corrupt as a general rule) pressure groups on almost every issue under the sun.

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I wouldn't go quite that far, but I certainly share the sentiment. Of course, much the same can be said for large swathes of "new" media.

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Broadly speaking yes... but I think I have to make an exception in the case of nationalism (as opposed to patriotism) as nationalism explicitly defines itself in opposition to some other ethnic group or country. As such, it's always uniquely dangerous.

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To an extent yes, it certainly can do and often does. I would disagree that it's inevitable though.

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Well, it's certainly necessary.

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I'm not sure if it's the greatest problem facing education  today, but I agree with the sentiment here entirely. And I agree that it's a problem, especially regarding doling out funding.

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'twas very much how I was brought up, so I'd be a hypocrite to disagree (not that I'd disagree anyway; I'm very keen on that sort of thing).

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I'd argue that the government structure of the Nazi state is about as bad as things can get, but, yeah, agree.

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Guess so, yes.

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Guess so, yes.

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Yes, very much so. It's interesting to compare how (say) films typically treated ordinary people a few decades ago to how they treat them now; there's a level of contempt now that's actually quite shocking.
Though it should be said that whiggery is just as irritating as fashionable nihilism.

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You've no idea how much I agree with this.

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Of course, to a limited extent. More than limited in a wider sense though, as "fasionable nihilism" is very much a syndrome of an advanced consumerist society.

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I'm not quite sure what you mean here, but I think that I probably agree.

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Yep

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But of course.

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I find both to be very dull, so, yeah.

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I'm tempted to argue that the reverse is true.

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Broadly disagree

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There's some truth to that, but it's also a little complacent.

[Хahar 🤔]

Not competent to answer this question. I'd like to think I agree, but I'm not sure I do.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. No.
4. Yes.
5. No.
6. No.
7. Yes.
8. Yes.
9. Yes.
10. No.
11. Yes.
12. Yes.
13. Yes.
14. Yes.
15. No.
16. Yes.
17. No.
18. No.
19. Yes.
20. No.
21. No.

[jokerman]

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.

Absolutely, although I'm not entirely sure whether this is a phenomenon singular to our own time.

2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.

Yes.

3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.

Ahh, I wouldn't apply to all journalists (perhaps all t.v. "journalists," however)

4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.

Intuitively so.

5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.

Not necessarily.  There's a lot of room for reform, certainly.  To address the heart of the question, I like to think that (especially in a democracy) every person can become a self-motivated, independent thinker in addition to gaining something of vocational value, but I'm not entirely convinced this is the case.

6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.

Yes, of course.

7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.

No, I don't think overcompetition is the greatest problem facing education today.

8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.

Very admirable, yes, but an idealistic standard that cannot be reached until a certain intellectual capacity has been fostered in a person.

9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.

Sure.

10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the state

Right, which explains my answers to the education questions.  We haven't evolved to a completely individualistic society; and actually if there's anything our society craves at the moment, it's more leadership.

11. ... Which will probably never happen.

No point in despairing over it.  Consider how much more empowered the average human today is than the average one merely 100 years ago.  And I don't think there's anything to despise in the propensity of humans to act in groups.  Organization will always exist, and should be directed towards the cultivation of the individual.

12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc)

Yes, yes, yes.  I think this reached a peak somewhere in the 1980s or 1990s, though.  I like to think the optimism of the younger generation has put the sentiment on the wane.

13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.

It stands contrary to my very definition of left-wing, or at least progressive.

14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.

In many cases, yes, though such a degenerate culture is usually quashed by other elements of society.

15. Tourism is the opposite of travel.

By the connotations of "tourism" I think you're evoking (artificiality and inauthenticity among others), then yes.

16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.

I don't think libertarian wishes are relevant in any degree.

17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero.

Who?  (displaying my youth, perhaps)

18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.

Lean yes to the latter; lean no to the former.

19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.

Elaborate please.

20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)

The very capacity to act in free will is human nature in itself.  All humans are different and complex, though groups of humans (and dare I point out the possibility of correlation between quantity of humans and the strength of the quality) tend to acquire something of a universal nature.

21. "The Misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Conversley, however, the achievements of man should not be trivialized.

[Mint]

Everyone else is doing it... Here are 20 statements I happen to agree with, probably not typical ones they are really more philosophical rather than political ones (I don't really have political opinions anymore), but none the less:

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.

Agree, it is becoming a cancer on our system.

2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.

Frequently, yes.

3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.

No, just increasingly irrelevant.

4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.

Agree.

5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.

Agree.

6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.

To an extent. It could definitely be more relevant towards work skills and independence.

7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.

Yes.

8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.

Most certainly.

9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.

Maybe. Both terms are so vague and loaded as to be meaningless, illustrating your 1st and 2nd points.

10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the state
11. ... Which will probably never happen.

Agree on both.

12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc

Disagree, it just mirrors the cynicism that people actually have.

13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.

Agree. In many ways it actually has been the driving force behind the rise of the New Right.

14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.

Agree.

15. Tourism is the opposite of travel.

Agree.

16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.

Agree.

17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero.

Agree.

18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.

Agree on a metaphorical level.

19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.

Agree.

20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)

Disagree.

21. "The Misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Disagree.

22. OMG I LOVE RALPH NADER!!!11 300 IS FASCIST!!!!111. No, actually, ignore this one.

Agree, lolz.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.
2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.
3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.
4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.
5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.
6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.
7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.
8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.
9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.  It depends how smal "really, really small" is.
10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the state
11. ... Which will probably never happen.
12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc)
13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.
14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.
15. Tourism is the opposite of travel.
16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.
17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero. Never saw the movie.
18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.
19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.  I'd tend to agree with that.
20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)
21. "The Misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
22. OMG I LOVE RALPH NADER!!!11 300 IS FASCIST!!!!111. No, actually, ignore this one.  

[minionofmidas]

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.

Commonly so. America's not the only country where that's the case of course.

2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.

Often. Not always.

3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.

Tick.

4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.

No. Systems of belief cannot be observed divorced from their function. Of course, no system of belief is harmful all of the time and most of their professers are perfectly harmless, but that's something else.

5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.

So does family informal education.

6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.

Absolutely.

7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.

But that's entertaining! (Okay, it's more nauseating than entertaining. But entertaining nonetheless.) And here in Germany at least, the intranational penis size comparison aspect is far more damaging.

8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.

Oh, sure.

9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.

I can think of a couple other worse things...

10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the state

?

11. ... Which will probably never happen.

Obviously not.

12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc)

There's nothing modern about it either. It's always been around.

13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.

Agreed.

14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.

Agreed, especially on the latter part.

15. Tourism is the opposite of travel.

Agreed.

16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.

Agreed.

17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero.

No. I can see why you would think so, though.

18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.

Agreed on the second part. Money only gets boring once we're talking about sums larger than what's needed to live.

19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.

A simplification, but not wrong.

20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)

No, disagree here.

21. "The Misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Eh. I know that position, and it isn't entirely wrong, but it's not entirely right either.

22. OMG I LOVE RALPH NADER!!!11 300 IS FASCIST!!!!111. No, actually, ignore this one.

300 is Fascist. It just isn't Fascist Propaganda.

[Earth]

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.

Agree.

2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.

Agree.

3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.

Agree, although there are worse professions, but the current state of journalism is close.

4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.

Disagree.

5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.

Agree.

6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.

Agree.

7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.

Disagree as the greatest problem.

8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.

Agree.

9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.

Disagree.

10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the state

Agree.

11. ... Which will probably never happen.

Improbable, but I can't say impossible.

12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc)

Agree, although I think it's more complex than simply assigning blame to media and popular culture.

13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.

Agree.

14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.

Agree.

15. Tourism is the opposite of travel.

Agree.

16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.

Disagree.

17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero.

Agree.

18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.

Agree.

19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.

Disagree.

20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)

Agree.

21. "The Misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Agree.

22. OMG I LOVE RALPH NADER!!!11 300 IS FASCIST!!!!111. No, actually, ignore this one.

Will do.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

There's nothing modern about it either. It's always been around.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

There's nothing modern about it either. It's always been around.

Who is he? (And isn't that Belfast?)

Anyway I don't disagree it is has been around forever, but that in the past 25-30 years it has become more and more part of the "general atmosphere". Not quite the right word, but as Al said compare media attitudes to "ordinary people" from say 1920s-1960s to today and you get the idea. I'm not talking about old gits either, when you hear 20 year olds speak such sentiments it is when it really is the problem.

Media imo both shape and reinforce cultural norms, they can't just create out of the blue what isn't already 'out there' in society (a vague idea if ever there was one) but they can reinforce and converse what is already 'there', especially for younger generations.

[© tweed]

1. yes
2. sorta, yeah
3. not quite...  btw aren't land speculators the worst people ever?  you're confusing me bro
4. no, they're inherently harmful
5. probably, but alternatives don't really exist
6. ah you beat me to it
7. life is a big casino...
8. I don't do it because it is honorable, I do it because it entertains me
9. no
10. nice  +1
11. k
12. your nomenclature here is offensive to an actual, self-styled nihilist.  nihilism is an intellectual movement.  violence in cinema for the sake of entertainment is not nihilism; it is a means of making money in exchange for 2 hours of fantasy
13. it's apolitical
14. not seeing this
15. I see where you're coming from, though I don't think 'opposites' exist
16. labels...
17. not terribly familiar with him
18. you need money in order to operate outside of the system
19. fair
20. stop with the label deconstruction
21. didn't feel like interpreting it.  guess I lack "intellectual curiosity"
22. no, I don't love him, though I don't hate him, and, I've never seen 300

[Tetro Kornbluth]

3. not quite...  btw aren't land speculators the worst people ever?  you're confusing me bro

Close. Journalist, "TV personalities", Land and Property speculators and developers... All HPs. Hyperbole FYI.

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That seems a rather shallow way to live tbh.

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There isn't a better word; Hipsterism maybe? But I can't stain Jack Kerouac's name (among others) with that analogy. Be clear that I am only talking about a style of presentation rather than the actual representation. And the way one perceives the world, even through fantasy is entirely political (though not primarily) in its own way. After all for a fantasy to work it has to be meaningful.

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Yes.. but I needed a poke fun at Libertarianism option.

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That's function. I was talking more about money for its own sake.

[© tweed]

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That seems a rather shallow way to live tbh.

well, also because it allows me to own people in 'arguments'

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That's function. I was talking more about money for its own sake.
[/quote]

again, big casino.  different things get different people off.  such is why I came out of Wall Street with an affinity for Gordon Gekko.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

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That seems a rather shallow way to live tbh.

well, also because it allows me to own people in 'arguments'

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That's function. I was talking more about money for its own sake.

again, big casino.  different things get different people off.  such is why I came out of Wall Street with an affinity for Gordon Gekko.
[/quote]

#9: Ah yes. Should have put in a question on Moral hysteria

#18: Perhaps so, but given what I have seen with what has happened with property development, speculation, etc here in this country individual lives have been transformed, not really for the better, due to the egoism sorry, individualism of people who bought into the property mania of the early/mid 2000s, many of whom were already very, very rich. So the fantasies of some, distorted the actual lives of others.

One can't see one's individual actions in a vaccum accountable only to the self (which probably doesn't exist anyway, but that's a different matter).

[Mint]

There isn't a better word; Hipsterism maybe? But I can't stain Jack Kerouac's name (among others) with that analogy. Be clear that I am only talking about a style of presentation rather than the actual representation. And the way one perceives the world, even through fantasy is entirely political (though not primarily) in its own way. After all for a fantasy to work it has to be meaningful.

Well in that sense, I agree. What I find more annoying is people bringing up whatever Chomsky, Palahniuk, etc. wrote ad nauseum then pretending they're so original.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

There isn't a better word; Hipsterism maybe? But I can't stain Jack Kerouac's name (among others) with that analogy. Be clear that I am only talking about a style of presentation rather than the actual representation. And the way one perceives the world, even through fantasy is entirely political (though not primarily) in its own way. After all for a fantasy to work it has to be meaningful.

Well in that sense, I agree. What I find more annoying is people bringing up whatever Chomsky, Palahniuk, etc. wrote ad nauseum then pretending they're so original.

At least Chomsky is a great linguist (always first line of defense whenever he is mentioned). Palahniuk is just a hack for pseudo-intellectual manchildren who think everything OMG SHOCKING AND DISTURBING!!11 is deep. Want someone like that but with greater teeth and much greater depth, originality, etc, then read J.G Ballards 1970s stuff (of which Palahniuk stole some of his ideas). But yeah agree.

[Bacon King]

1. agree
2. agree
3. agree when subtracting your hyperbole
4. agree, mostly
5. yeah, probably
6. agree
7. agree
8. agree
9. agree
10. agree
11. agree
12. I see what you're saying.
13. eh
14. eh
15. I see what you're saying.
16. Don't really understand.
17. agree
18. agree
19. mostly agree
20. agree
21. lol wut
22. lol. I had a favorable impression of Nader when he visited Tulane, and 300 is a horrible movie.

[Boris]

1. This much is obvious
2. I guess
3. It basically renders extraction of important information impossible
4. Disagree
5. Kinda Agree, but it really depends and varies
6. Obviously
7. eh, not really
8. It's fun to do and I'm bored
9. need specific definitions of "big" and "really, really small" government
10. could be framed as a tagline for pro-EU integration
11. Who knows?
12. It really depends. Coming from my mouth, I would have to agree.
13. isn't really political within any context
14. don't understand what you mean
15. interesting statement, agree on some level
16. One would get this impression from reading SPC's posts
17. never seen Network
18. Disagree
19. Agree
20. Unsure
21. lazy
22. ok

[Јas]

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.

2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.

Not necessarily.

3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.

Much, much too broad a brush...

4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.

5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.

No. Not necessarily at all. But we've had this discussion already...

6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.

There are few types or forms of education I'm willing to label 'evil'.

7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.

Certainly not the greatest problem facing education today. Not even close, I should imagine. Plus I don't grant that it's necessarily that much of a problem at all.

8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.

9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.

Need more detail. The work and focus of government determines its desirability much more than its size.

10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the state

Again, that really depends on how and why they go about such an organisation.

11. ... Which will probably never happen.

No idea. Maybe. I don't expect to see it happen, but 'never' is a long time.

12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc)

13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.

Don't know.

14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.

Probably true.

15. Tourism is the opposite of travel.

Not necessarily. Obviously depends on what you define both terms.

16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.

Not sure I can agree. Or at least not any more than replacing libertarianism with most other political philosophies.

17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero.

He may be a hero of yours (and many others) and he may be deemed American, but that doesn't mean he's an American Hero.

18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.

One is quite lucky to be in a position where money is boring.

19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.

Maybe. Don't know.

20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)

Don't understand.

21. "The Misery of man appears like childish petulance, when we explore the steady and prodigal provision that has been made for his support and delight on this green ball which floats him through the heavens" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Agree. I think.

22. OMG I LOVE RALPH NADER!!!11 300 IS FASCIST!!!!111. No, actually, ignore this one.

[dead0man]

1. American Political Debates probably due to the media and the two party system tend to be divided into a groups of set and thinly defined system of oppositions ("Liberal" and "Conservative", "Pro-War" and "Anti-War", "Pro-Gun Control and Anti-Gun Control" and etc) which tend to leech all subtely and complexity out of 'debate', which is usually just repeating the same premises over and over again ad naseum.agreed...but that's more of a statement of fact and not one that describes your politics
2. ... And that these oppositions are merely ideological premises with no real actual connection to reality.
....k
3. The Mainstream Media are a professional leach on western society, and that being a Journalist is the lowest profession known to man.I agree with the sentiment, I don't agree with the facts
4. Systems of belief: Religion, Nationalism, Political Ideology, etc are harmless in themselves, what makes them dangerous is how certain individuals use, manipulate or intrepret them.agreed
5. State and Formal Education (at least up till Second Level) damages intellectual life and infantilizes teenagers.in a lot of cases, yes
6. ... But it is still a necessary evil regardless.I'm not so sure about that.  State sponsored education probably does though.  Especially if we continue teaching to the lowest common denominator and adding more of the halfwits to "regular" school as we go.
7. ... However, this should not be mean that states continue to treat Education as a form of international penis size comparsion as in "Ha! Ha! We have more science graduates than you". Which is perhaps the greatest problem facing education today.Not even in the top 5...but I do agree we put to much emphasis on how various countries rate in education
8. ... However, autodictatism (that is self-education), as long as it is self-questioning, is one of the most admirable things any individual can engage in.agreed, and few forms of education prevent one from doing that and the best ones encourage it endlessly.
9. As undesirable as big government is, the only thing worse is really, really small government.It would depend on how you defined the terms
10. ... At least until Human beings can start to think and imagine themselves organizing their societies outside of the boundaries of the statenever happen
11. ... Which will probably never happen.that's what I just said
12. Fashionable Nihilism and "Declinism" as expressed in contemporary popular culture is one of the most unbearable and unintellectual fads in modern society (the belief that everything now is inferior to that, say, 30 years ago, that the world is unbearably corrupt except for perhaps a few good individuals, who always happen to be you, that human beings are self centred and money grabbing and etc. See The mainstream media, popular cinema, etc)very agreed.  Most people are good.  We humans just see and messure "good" in different ways.
13. ... And can not be considered a "left-wing" trait, except very superficially, actually it is often rather reactionary.sure, it swings both ways
14. ... And is also something of a self-fulfilling and self-justifying prophecy.too often, yes
15. Tourism is the opposite of travel. meh?..i understand they don't mean the same thing, but they certainly aren't opposites.  The opposite of travel would be "stuck" or something like that.
16. Libertarianism is not so much an ideology, but a bizarre series of wish fulfillments which as the more extreme they get, the less intellectually coherent and/or sane they become.
Only if you see it that way.  Do you think me, Dibble and PiT have intellectually incoherent arguments?
17. Howard Beale is/was an American Hero.in the same way Superman is.  Except Beale is a LOT less important.
18. There is nothing more boring in the world than money, except possibly careerism.I don't think boring means what you think it means
19. Americans think that everyone in the rest of the world are like Americans. This is why America can be so dangerous sometimes.America is a really big country.  American's don't think anything autonomously.  I'm sure you could replace "America" in your statement with every other nation in the world and it would be just as true.  Although I grant you that America has a bit more a chance to affect other nations than does, say.... Angola.
20. There is no so thing as "Human Nature" (In the Essentialist sense; ie. There is something fundamental about us all as human beings that exists apart from ourselves as individuals)
maybe

[Tetro Kornbluth]

BUMP. (I'm bored, yes....)

More Questions:
22. The One thing we have learned over the past few years is that the economy is too important to leave to Economists.

23. ... Or the Private Sector.

24. ... Or the Public Sector.

25. Contemporary Society (and is o/c not unique in this) is under threat from ideas which constantly attempt to deny the uniqueness of human life and its potentialities and try and explain away human uniqueness by glib explanations whose power derives from it's apparance of being 'sciencey' (This is my anti-macroeconomics/anti-Sociobiology post).

26. If we hold scientific truths to be true just because we hold them to be 'scientific' (and ergo true) then science is a greater social threat than religion.

27. ... Rather than specializing therefore in 'facts', education should teach 'reason' and 'logic' (or the 'scientific method' for want of a better word) in order so that students can deduce the facts themselves (see my post - or rather Neil Postman Quote - in the most recent Creationism/Evolution thread).

28. The government in many modern democratic societies is mostly a tool of the people (note: "The people" not individual people) who can then blame it for things whenever everything goes wrong. Thus avoiding the problem of collective responsibility (I'm thinking mainly issues like Global Warming - or the Iraq war - here)

29. ... Which explains part of the popularity of what passes for left-wing and right-wing thought and ideas in America.

30. There simply isn't enough resources in the world for people to live like Americans. That we may no longer live like Americans much longer seems self-evident.

31. The ideas of mediorce intellects run the world.

32. When Fascism returns to America it may come wearing tie-dye T-Shirts and proclaim free love for all.

33. The Contemporary world is closer to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World than George Orwell's 1984

34. It might be best for American democracy to advance if it actually declared itself a "Second Republic" and wrote a new constitution (which would only differ minutely from the present one, but in significant ways).

35. ... As one of the most irritating aspects of modern American political discourse is the fetishization of the constitution and of the founding fathers.

36. ... Which is dangerous as pseudo-history (especially officially backed pseudo-history) is an enemy of free thought.

37. "If human society is a collection of individuals pursuing their self-interest, if this is the eternal reality, then it is certain that the philosopher can and must abandon the human animal to its sad destiny" (sig quote)

38. The Small government movement in the United States is dangerous not because small government is itself bad (it should be as small as possible after allowing for people's rights), but because it aids and abetts by its very nature anti-intellectual, anti-feminism, anti-black, anti-internationalist and anti-liberal (in a general sense) sentiment.

39. If people are told they are machines, soon they act like them (if they haven't been doing so already).

40. [not exact quote but close enough] "One of the biggest problem of politics today is that our choices are seemingly limited to the bureaucrat and the speculator" (Raymond Williams)