A "good writer" doesn't leave people with such a bad taste in the mouth. Even if they don't agree with you, people would recognize eloquence and style. I wouldn't quit your day job (war profiteering?)
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I hope in the future Americans are thought of as a warlike, vicious people, because I bet a lot of high schools would pick "Americans" as their mascot. -Jack Handy
I'm not sure whether I'm smarter than you, Marko, but I'm definitely a better writer, and thus a better debater.
Sure, I can accept that your grammatical prose is far superior to mine. As for the smarter thing: Who cares? I don't. Do you? You would be mistaken if you thought I was here to prove my intelligence. And, actually, why I write on this forum is something I have been pondering quite a bit lately. I haven't quite nailed down the exact reason yet, but I can tell you that Ego inflation is not one of my reasons.
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Marko, you seem to stick to sources that tell you what you already want to believe. I have a saying... "Be careful what you want to believe, because wanting to believe something will make you lie to yourself."
To this I would say you are wrong and very presumptuous. As for your saying: Do you apply this to yourself? If so, do you wonder whether or not you are lying to yourself?
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Marko, I think your ideas come from the nihilistic, tree-hugging-fag* line of thinking. I don't think you're one, necessarily (I don't know you, thus the qualifier).
Nihilistic? I might have gathered some ideas from a nihilist line of think because I do think that some, not all, gov't and social institutions are worthless. But, I don't think that the total destruction of them all is necessary for future improvements. Also, it would be impossible for me to embrace the nihilist philosophy because I believe in a higher being. I just don't believe in the outdated dogma that exists about what this higher being might actually be.
As for the tree-hugging-fag thing: I find that a remark like this could only come from an arrogant prick. I'm not sure who started this connotation, but I'm pretty sure that they were ignorant fools who only believed in markets, materialism and money.
BSoE - I get that feedback from time to time - I don't get it. I didn't think it was particularly more arrogant than anything else I've written in this thread. I'm sorry I left that bilious taste in your mouth. I thought it was a good step down from my arrogant diatribe of earlier. I should point out that I'm much different in style when I write than I am in person. After you kick me in the crotch a few times (it was two earlier, maybe I deserve three now), I hope you'll enjoy paddling with me when you get back. And I hope you're back soon. Colorado misses you.
Marko - You're right, I don't care who is smarter than whom. It was inappropriate to put that in there. I apologize. I am a good writer, although in most other areas of my life, I'm very average.
As for my own change of course politically, I've said several things that indicate my path has changed during the Bush years. I'm no longer a Republican - I supported the war initially and through 2004, when I started to see that the people at the top were clueless and my trust in them was grossly misplaced.
We also agree on certain government institutions being worthless, although in several areas, I'm sure we disagree.
What perplexes me is these two things: 1) I don't know what exactly you believe in many areas, and 2) where I do seem to think I understand what you believe, it sounds to me as if your beliefs are liberal and follow prior liberal philosophies that are proven unworkable.
To me, Federalism/Libertarianism is the only philosophy that produces government that does the best possible for the most possible. I do hold festidiously to that belief, and if that tight grip on something I feel so blatantly is arrogance, then I am guilty as charged. I cannot see how thinking people don't recognize that the more Government delegates to the private sector, the better the prosperity of the society becomes.
I have a very difficult time listening to people who present ideas as I seem to hear yours presented, that all problems are the result of corrupt and greedy politicians, particularly when that finger is pointed only at one party's politicians.
I have tried only to give political counter-arguments that explain some of the philosophy behind some of the things you seem to take so painfully (which speaks well of your soul's idealism). I throw in the 'cute little epithets' because I think they're humorous. I've been heavy-handed because I'm impatient by nature - both of which I regret.
I shall endeavor to stay out of such discussions in the future, because paddling is the most important thing in my life, and I don't want to come across people who already think it'd be fun to spit on me and kick my ass. I got enough of that in high school.
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. - R.W. Emerson
Nihilist #1 (Flea): We believe is nah-sing, Lebowski.
Nihilist #2 AKA Uli Kunkel: Yah, we believe in nah-sing and you give us tha money, Lebowski, or we cut off your Johnson!
Marko makes a great point, heliodorkus, I don't think you can make derrogatory homosexual references and then offer the caveat 'no offense to actual homos' and everything's cool. That really pissed my boyfriend off. Also, I can help you with one area of your life that might be quite average...I get a dozen spams a day for an herbal supplement called "MegaDik". I'll forward them. We'll paddle sometime. Maybe bicker in a real eddy.
Nihilists: It's not fair, his girlfriend cut off her toe, we thought there would be a million dollars!
Walter: Not fair? NOT FAIR!? Who's the nihilist now you whiny cry-babies?
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I hope in the future Americans are thought of as a warlike, vicious people, because I bet a lot of high schools would pick "Americans" as their mascot. -Jack Handy
Last edited by BastrdSonOfElvis; 12-03-2007 at 08:18 AM.
Reason: Yo momma.
I've been debating that one, whether the F-word is the new N-word. I suppose it's easy enough to refrain from it. I was always partial to the term "tailgunners" because it's so damn funny visually, plus the military reference (that's where I learned the term, in my stint with America's finest in the 11th Armored Cavalry in Germany). Tailgunner still makes me giggle.
But my favorite word is of my own creation - used to describe that feeling of euphoria when you've just completed a particularly satisfying bowel movement. I call it "buttgasm". You heard it here first. Told you I'm a great writer.
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A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. - R.W. Emerson
Also, caspermike, retard is not the preferred nomenclature. Retarded American, please.
You sound cute, caspermike. Single?
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I hope in the future Americans are thought of as a warlike, vicious people, because I bet a lot of high schools would pick "Americans" as their mascot. -Jack Handy
And there you have it. You have all just witnessed the complete and utter digression of a thread via subtle moving to overt sabotage. I identified a situation that was on the verge of getting ugly and intervened, single-handedly dragging the bull down by the horns, making caspermike uncomfortable in the process and all the while referencing one of the great cinematic works of our time. You are all so lucky to have me around. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go procure more oil, ensure you all won't be forced to speak Arabic, and see if I can get helio another defense contract.
Also, I wanted to brag that I just used your tax dollars (well, technically they were mine until a minute ago) to buy a kokatat dry suit. No more frozen testicles for Joshua.
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I hope in the future Americans are thought of as a warlike, vicious people, because I bet a lot of high schools would pick "Americans" as their mascot. -Jack Handy
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