Comments on: Fear and the Frightened http://listics.com/20060814485 We're beginning to notice some improvement. Thu, 11 Feb 2025 05:48:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.8 By: J. Alva Scruggs http://listics.com/20060814485/comment-page-1#comment-3869 Tue, 15 Aug 2025 15:29:44 +0000 http://listics.com/20060814485#comment-3869

we have to give up on the idea that debate (as in: “I can now … debate your conclusion”) is any more meaningful than a mugging

Couldn’t agree more, Frank. Debate in the USA is usually bad entertainment and a deliberate waste of time. The elite political class absurdities should be discussed in an absurd context. The “war on terror”, for example, means a lot to the self-important, and I can respect their feelings to a certain extent, but I have to insist that they perform in propria persona. Cribbing talking points from think tank “scholars” and fatuous op ed war-pundits is an act of self-degradation. Those who do it need our sympathy, some easily digested food and a nice place to rest, but it’s an insult to their intelligence and terrible disservice to humanity in general to take them seriously.

The advantage in debate goes to people who are trained in rhetoric, shameless and know how to work an audience. Those skills and that quality can achieve a victory, which is as meaningful as the adrenalin rush of getting away with a crime.

]]> By: Frank Paynter http://listics.com/20060814485/comment-page-1#comment-3866 Tue, 15 Aug 2025 13:31:17 +0000 http://listics.com/20060814485#comment-3866 First, you’re probably right that any historical reference weakens the post, and I may just correct that on the fly. My thinking has been centered around the great vision and meme that Roosevelt spread: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” It seems to me that this idea pulls the rug out from under the entire argument that terrorism should be treated any different from other heinous crimes.

Second, we have to give up on the idea that debate (as in: “I can now … debate your conclusion”) is any more meaningful than a mugging. I’m happy to discuss my conclusions, happier still to redraft to find a more inclusive point of view, but regardless of our public school training, we have to let go of the win/lose debate adversarial model if we are going to make any progress toward an enriched democracy with control over powerful special interests.

]]> By: Nathan http://listics.com/20060814485/comment-page-1#comment-3865 Tue, 15 Aug 2025 13:17:40 +0000 http://listics.com/20060814485#comment-3865 Great piece except the last paragraph. Why bring in the Great Depression? This opens up a whole new can of worms? I can now focus on that last paragraph and debate your conclusion that, “Americans gained a respect for each other then and moved forward toward a greater sophistication, toward a world view encompassing the eyes-wide-open understanding of the costs and benefits associated with corporate business models…” rather than discussing the truly great points you make in the body of the article. I believe the only reason we got out of the Great Depression was WWII and the creation of the military-industrial complex…..and the complex is still going strong, with, as you say, the fifth column in direct collusion to keep us all focused on stupid things while the gov’t spends 500 billion a year on “defense”.

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