Stupid, meaningless and discussion bogging disclaimers
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
November 1, 2010 11:00am CST
Ok, help me understand something here. During online discussions we often read comments and replies where people are taking the writer to task. The offense seems to be wrapped around the idea that every term needs to be qualified and explained in some innane disclaimer.
Guess what folks (with the possible exception of THIS thread), I don't make it a habit of talking down to people. If I say "The left", "the right" Conservative" "Liberal" "Republican" "Democrat" "Libertarian" "Marxist" "Socialist" " castrated whales who wander the oceans wondering what they did wrong" I am not referring to EVERYONE on "The left", "the right" "conservative" "Liberal" "Republican" "Democrat" "Libertarian" "Marxist" "Socialist" or "castrated whales who wander the oceans wondering what they did wrong"
You see, there is this concept called "context". Context his a literary and conversational device that thinking people use to give specific meanings to general terms. We read the entire thought, which usually includes language that specifies the limits of the term.
For example (and we'll talk about the difference between an example and a point sometime in the future, but only if enough people prove to me that a thread on it is needed): I am a Conservative. This term has a general meaning, but also has meanings specific to the topic of a thread.
Being a conservative, you can make a few fair assumptions. My political opinions are generally right of center; I'm not a liberal; I probably disagree with Prs. Obama a good percentage of the time.
What you can't fairly assume that it means is that I agree with everything your friend, neighbor or any other conservative says on a given topic.
Yes, the same goes for every other brand of political thought, or democraphic.
Since I have this problem of assuming most people who come to the political section of MyLot are here to discuss some political topic or another, I make a few assumptions (which I consider fair) about the people who read and comment on my threads.
One of those assumptions is that people understand what I mean by "The left", "the right" "conservative" "Liberal" "Republican" "Democrat" "Libertarian" "Marxist" "Socialist" even if they might be a litte confused (but hopefully entertained) by the joke "castrated whales who wander the oceans wondering what they did wrong"... even if I understand that castrating unsuspecting whales is both dangerous and cruel.
So, let's not get so anal retentive or small minded that we need to bog down our discussions with these stupid, meaningless and discussion bogging disclaimers.
Basically, if you are generally on "The left", "the right" "conservative" "Liberal" "Republican" "Democrat" "Libertarian" "Marxist" "Socialist" or even a "castrated whale who wander the oceans wondering what you did wrong" if the specific context of the thread doesn't apply to you, please don't insult us all by taking it personally.
2 people like this
5 responses
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Nov 10
Take it however you must, my friend.
:: Raises glass :: To the Blue Bunny!
1 person likes this

@jb78000 (15139)
•
1 Nov 10
cool. off to make some irritating comments about The Right. can i also assume that the words 'conservative' 'right wing' 'fascist' 'fundamentalist' 'far right' 'libertarian' 'republican' 'tea partyite' 'patriot' 'nationalist' and 'christian' all mean the same thing?
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Nov 10
Only if you want to take the words and ignore the context in which the writer uses them... oh, and if you are in need of endless and mindless disclaimers to make you feel better... which I know you don't. ;~)
@laglen (19759)
• United States
2 Nov 10
Ted, I think your discussion was well said and very timely.
I would like to add to it though that most times when "we" (used generally) take these terms out of context, it is usually because we get defensive.
A very good example of what you are posting about, I consider myself "conservative", people seem to think that this means I support all Republicans. This couldnt be further from the truth. I am actually a registered Republican so that I may caucus, but I vote more for Independents, third party. It depends on the issues and what means the most to me. You will never find somebody that agrees with you 100% of the time, so we must get the closest we can.

@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
3 Nov 10
This is true, which kind of befuddles those who pidgeon hole people so rigidly. People who know me, know that I'm pretty conservative. However, once in a while I'm called a liberal. When I'm called that I just laugh to myself, because I know who I am and what I am... I also know that if a person only knows one or two things about me, they could very well consider me liberal.
1 person likes this

@HawaiiGopher (1009)
• Belgium
1 Nov 10
Here's the thing: the terms you mention get tossed around like a pair of rags. Certain people make it a habit to throw those words in their posts to help spur negative connotations.
- Obama supports taxing the rich? That's commuuniiiiiistt.
- Oh really? Fantastic. Now would you care to provide an actual criticism of Obama's tax policies?
Eventually it just gets irritating and it makes you doubt about whether or not the people using the terms actually know what it means. Just the other day I was told that liberals were fascists and Nazis were actually very socialist. Of course, eventually I'm going to have to ask for clarifications and drop the generous assumption that people are actually able to make nuanced distinctions.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
1 Nov 10
Yes, you insisting that I talk down to you is irritating.
@HawaiiGopher (1009)
• Belgium
1 Nov 10
I'm glad that's all you were able to get out of what I said. 

@spalladino (17891)
• United States
2 Nov 10
If new age equals castrated...there ain't gonna be any "old" age whales around. 

2 people like this







