What are the main challenges facing Mankind today?

[Quetzal]

Do we really have to play these games?

Only a complete moron doesn't know what liberalism has come to mean.

This is why folks like you are a waste of time. All you want to do is obfuscate, nitpick, and throw rocks from the sidelines.

I had never heard the term used that way before. I looked it up, that is the current, accepted definition. If you meant something else, say something else to avoid confusion. Simple.

 

[Grosnick Marowbe]

1. Liberalism
2. Liberalism
3. Liberalism

Yep!

 

[Quetzal]

1. Liberalism
2. Liberalism
3. Liberalism

I thought about this a bit more this morning in relation to the definition that I associate with the term. For myself and those I associate with (when it comes to politics), one of our core beliefs is freedom and equality. The root of the term itself is described in a similar fashion:

from liber "free, unrestricted, unimpeded; unbridled, unchecked,"... "of freedom, pertaining to or befitting a free man," Source

But Q! What about pedophiles and criminals and dancing bananas and homosexuals and and and...!

Of course, this is an oversimplification and it is not infallible. There are holes in that logic and that is okay. I try not to put my political ideals and beliefs into a concrete box, why would I want to do that? They expand, grow, and change all the time.

Maybe you have a different understanding of what a liberal is. I know Fox and conservative blogs really want you believe we are the root of all evil. But I accept and subscribe to the basic notions I outlined above. So when you tell me that liberals are one of the main challenges facing mankind today, I don't know what you are talking about.

 

[bybee]

I thought about this a bit more this morning in relation to the definition that I associate with the term. For myself and those I associate with (when it comes to politics), one of our core beliefs is freedom and equality. The root of the term itself is described in a similar fashion:





Of course, this is an oversimplification and it is not infallible. There are holes in that logic and that is okay. I try not to put my political ideals and beliefs into a concrete box, why would I want to do that? They expand, grow, and change all the time.

Maybe you have a different understanding of what a liberal is. I know Fox and conservative blogs really want you believe we are the root of all evil. But I accept and subscribe to the basic notions I outlined above. So when you tell me that liberals are one of the main challenges facing mankind today, I don't know what you are talking about.

Generally, excluding extremists, we are amalgams of thoughts, beliefs and practices. On occasion something new will be so appealing that it becomes more than another pebble in our being and enters the area of our foundation beliefs. So too, occasionally, something will be shown to be so abhorrent that we erase it from our repertoire!
I remember the first time I saw newsreels of baby seals being clubbed to death. They haunt me still. I am grateful for imitation fur! It gets very cold here in Minnesota in the winter.

 

[Quetzal]

Generally, excluding extremists, we are amalgams of thoughts, beliefs and practices. On occasion something new will be so appealing that it becomes more than another pebble in our being and enters the area of our foundation beliefs. So too, occasionally, something will be shown to be so abhorrent that we erase it from our repertoire!
I remember the first time I saw newsreels of baby seals being clubbed to death. They haunt me still. I am grateful for imitation fur! It gets very cold here in Minnesota in the winter.

Sure, I get it. I just find it frustrating when my posts are marginalized and I am subject to personal insults just because I am a liberal. Other opinions aren't considered and there isn't any discussion/debate, it's a fruitless exercise and it grows tiresome.

 

[PureX]

Maybe you have a different understanding of what a liberal is. I know Fox and conservative blogs really want you believe we are the root of all evil. But I accept and subscribe to the basic notions I outlined above. So when you tell me that liberals are one of the main challenges facing mankind today, I don't know what you are talking about.

It's easy to become intellectually lazy and stupid. All you have to do, is nothing. And no small number of people in this country have made a habit of it.

The media has learned that if they cater to these people, and lie to them; telling them that they aren't stupid, or lazy, but that they are actually smart, and clever, and wise, and good, and honest, and righteous and, … whatever, these people will keep 'tuning in' for more. And that ongoing attention is worth a lot of money to advertisers, who want to sell their products to exactly those kinds of people. People who won't do the work of finding out the truth of things. People who will immediately believe anything that makes them feel good about themselves. Because you can sell those people just about anything.

Meanwhile, the politicians have discovered that they can use these people for their own gain, too. It's easy. You just tell them you believe whatever they want to hear, and then blame everything they don't like on your opponents. And because these people are lazy and stupid, they won't ever take the time or trouble to find out or figure out that you're lying to them. They don't really even want to find out, because they like being pandered to, and made to feel important come election time.

So between the media and the politicians all catering to these lazy and stupid people among us, for their own gain, telling them they aren't lazy and stupid and that everything is the fault of the "other guys", it has come to be accepted as gospel by the people who want it to be, and who are too lazy and intellectually stupid or dishonest to bother questioning or doubting any of it.

This has been going on for well over 25 years, now, and that's a long time. So the lies have become entrenched. Careers and fortunes have been made and lost running this scam on the lazy and stupid people among us. Using them for profit, and using for votes. Using them to further all sorts of nefarious political and corporate agendas. Because they are easy to use. They don't doubt. They don't ask questions. They immediately believe whatever makes them feel good about themselves, and they don't care how it effects others.

The term "liberals" has become a kind of garbage bin term in which the lazy and stupid have been encouraged to throw anything they don't like. Don't like gays? Throw them in the "liberal" bin. Don't like atheists? Throw them in the liberal bin. Don't like paying your taxes? Blame it on the "liberals". Don't like the deficit? Blame it on the "liberals". It doesn't matter that none of this is particularly relevant to liberalism, because the lazy and stupid will not bother to look for relevance. They have someone they don't like to despise and to blame, which makes them feel good about themselves. And that's all that matters to them. No further questions will be asked. No other media will be consulted. And they will vote as they are being directed.

(I didn't write this to offend anyone, but rather to explain something that has become a major problem in this country. I'm not calling anyone here lazy or stupid, but I do believe the subjective and irrationally defined term "liberals", as it's so often being used around here, is part of this problem.)

 

[Quetzal]

It's easy to become intellectually lazy and stupid. All you have to do, is nothing. And no small number of people in this country have made a habit of it.

The media has learned that if they cater to these people, and lie to them; telling them that they aren't stupid, or lazy, but that they are actually smart, and clever, and wise, and good, and honest, and righteous and, … whatever, these people will keep 'tuning in' for more. And that ongoing attention is worth a lot of money to advertisers, who want to sell their products to exactly those kinds of people. People who won't do the work of finding out the truth of things. People who will immediately believe anything that makes them feel good about themselves. Because you can sell those people just about anything.

Meanwhile, the politicians have discovered that they can use these people for their own gain, too. It's easy. You just tell them you believe whatever they want to hear, and then blame everything they don't like on your opponents. And because these people are lazy and stupid, they won't ever take the time or trouble to find out or figure out that you're lying to them. They don't really even want to find out, because they like being pandered to, and made to feel important come election time.

So between the media and the politicians all catering to these lazy and stupid people among us, for their own gain, telling them they aren't lazy and stupid and that everything is the fault of the "other guys", it has come to be accepted as gospel by the people who want it to be, and who are too lazy and intellectually stupid or dishonest to bother questioning or doubting any of it.

This has been going on for well over 25 years, now, and that's a long time. So the lies have become entrenched. Careers and fortunes have been made and lost running this scam on the lazy and stupid people among us. Using them for profit, and using for votes. Using them to further all sorts of nefarious political and corporate agendas. Because they are easy to use. They don't doubt. They don't ask questions. They immediately believe whatever makes them feel good about themselves, and they don't care how it effects others.

The term "liberals" has become a kind of garbage bin term in which the lazy and stupid have been encouraged to throw anything they don't like. Don't like gays? Throw them in the "liberal" bin. Don't like atheists? Throw them in the liberal bin. Don't like paying your taxes? Blame it on the "liberals". Don't like the deficit? Blame it on the "liberals". It doesn't matter that none of this is particularly relevant to liberalism, because the lazy and stupid will not bother to look for relevance. They have someone they don't like to despise and to blame, which makes them feel good about themselves. And that's all that matters to them. No further questions will be asked. No other media will be consulted. And they will vote as they are being directed.

(I didn't write this to offend anyone, but rather to explain something that has become a major problem in this country. I'm not calling anyone here lazy or stupid, but I do believe the subjective and irrationally defined term "liberals", as it's so often being used around here, is part of this problem.)

Interestingly, there are an increased number of resources that fact check politics for you. There really isn't much of an excuse anymore.

 

[bybee]

Sure, I get it. I just find it frustrating when my posts are marginalized and I am subject to personal insults just because I am a liberal. Other opinions aren't considered and there isn't any discussion/debate, it's a fruitless exercise and it grows tiresome.

I appreciate honest, courteous efforts to communicate.
On the one hand some of our more conservative posters do get unnecessarily insulting while one the other hand some of our more liberal posters do get unnecessarily condescending and self-righteous.
So, shrug off what isn't germane, of course, I always reserve the right to go for the jugular if I deem it necessary.
You are coming along nicely and I enjoy visiting with you.

 

[Quetzal]

I appreciate honest, courteous efforts to communicate.
On the one hand some of our more conservative posters do get unnecessarily insulting while one the other hand some of our more liberal posters do get unnecessarily condescending and self-righteous.
So, shrug off what isn't germane, of course, I always reserve the right to go for the jugular if I deem it necessary.
You are coming along nicely and I enjoy visiting with you.

Absolutely, no one is a saint here (myself included). I have taken the lazy route myself on numerous occasions. I hope to limit it moving forward. I genuinely enjoy conversation with folks from the right, I really do. They offer perspective and opinions I wouldn't otherwise get.

 

[Selaphiel]

1. Corporatism
2. Climate change and ecologoical destruction.
3. The twitter/facebook trend of thinking that meaning and opinions should be exachanged at a 140 character limit. In other words, the slow decline of in depth study, the reduction of knowledge to soundbits.

 

[HisServant]

Yeah... a problem for sure.

And its definition of equality means doing so at the expense of others.

It's very much an anti-american philosophy.

And like Margaret Thatcher once said, socialism only works till you run out of other peoples money.

 

[Quetzal]

And its definition of equality means doing so at the expense of others.

That is a logical contradiction and, further, completely inaccurate. I would ask you for a reference to support your argument, but your reluctance to do so in the past makes me hesitate to even ask.

 

[chrysostom]

3. The twitter/facebook trend of thinking that meaning and opinions should be exachanged at a 140 character limit. In other words, the slow decline of in depth study, the reduction of knowledge to soundbits.

you first two are a joke
but
this is the only one that is really funny

 

[Quetzal]

you first two are a joke
but
this is the only one that is really funny

Why are they a joke?

 

[Selaphiel]

you first two are a joke
but
this is the only one that is really funny

The potential destruction of the basis of living for millions of people and the erradication of biological diversity (extinction rate of species is at roughly 1000 times the natural speed at this point) is a joke to you? I thought you were pro-life. Your religious leader seems to disagree with you.

 

[PureX]

Margaret Thatcher once said, socialism only works till you run out of other peoples money.

Thatcher lied. It was never "other people's money".

 

[serpentdove]

Self-hating Jews.

On the Iran deal, American Jewish ‘leaders’ don’t speak for most Jews

Obama gets a Iran deal as senate Dems amass enough votes

 

[kmoney]

this country and the world need to learn, re-learn HONOR -

Honor - is a language and a lifestyle. we can't love without honor. honor your spouse, honor your children and teach them to honor.

HONOR GOD - it's called reverence also -

sorely missing in the youth around the world, and in your town or city -

I was thinking about this earlier, but honor is somewhat hard to describe. I, too, was thinking of it as a kind of reverence and respect for others.

But I'll be honest, I don't think honor is something that we humans exhibit, generally. I think America's 'greatest generation' understood and exhibited honor because they lived through the great depression and WW2. They learned through sacrifice and hardship the importance of looking out for each other, as citizens and as human beings. I think that's actually a rarity, though. I think most generations of humans throughout time have been like ours: shallow and selfish and only looking out for #1.

Relearning how to honor others is good. Self-honor, not so much. On that side, we need more humility.

 

[kmoney]

I had never heard the term used that way before. I looked it up, that is the current, accepted definition. If you meant something else, say something else to avoid confusion. Simple.

Never heard the term used in what way?

 

[Quetzal]

Never heard the term used in what way?

Actually, before that post I had never run into the term liberalism before. That is why I had to look it up to make sure.