I don’t know why you guys keep trying to debate this guy, as if he were capable of anything resembling a rational, reasoned discussion.
When I first came across his posts I thought he was a very intelligent individual with, unfortunately, a Rock of Gibraltar-sized chip on his shoulder; far too many issues drowning out whatever meaningful message he might of had.
But after reading some of his dribblings here, I’ve changed my mind.
A book-educated dickhead is just a dickhead in a higher tax bracket.
That said, he’s become a much better contributor (in my opinion) recently. Besides the linked examples are really not his worst stuff. I recommend digging for his views on Church/State.
During my short time on these boards I’ve come across posts by Aldebaran on quite a few threads. I have to say that I like his input, although his point is often osbstructed with layer after layer of anti…USA…-ism. There is also something about the way he uses the english language that tends to infuriate his fellow dopers.
Say what you will about old Alde but I, for one, would miss him if he’d stop posting.
Please note that I am not American - I’m sure I’d like him a lot less if I were.
I think Aldebaran is really a parody of The Onion’s Ask the “insert guru here” advice columns. For example:
Poster A: My boyfriend thinks I’m a virgin but I’m really not, what should I do?
Aldebaran: (Disclaimer: I am paraphrasing here) The US’rs bloodthirsty president is responsible for the deaths of thousands, if not millions of innocent Iraqi men, women and children. Bloodthirsty US troops bayonet screaming babies and rape their mothers. Cheney’s quest for free oil and imperialistic designs on occupying a sovereign country illegally is a historical travesty. No sites or cites will be provided, do your own research, for these truths I know.
Poster B: Should I let my son use his cell phone, even though he’s been grounded for running up the phone bill?
Aldebaran: (Actual quotes from the thread linked by the OP) I make of your post that you rejoice fanatically whenever the US army kills an innocent Iraqi man, woman or child and that you dream to take part in the butchery.
Hence it is also most amusing to watch the struggle of the brainless US government to uphold their claim they “needed” to invade occupy and devastate a sovereign nation - murdering thousands of people - because they “knew” Hussein had WMD that formed a “direct threat” to the USA.
Personally, I like him and his views. The first thing you will notice IMO after his postings is a simple hatred towards him, not his view in the current thread, just for him. If he repersents any amount of the population of the ME, then anything the US does there is doomed to fail. And us yanks sit around and wonder why the world hates us so.
Well, another Pitting for the World’s Most Argumentative Human™? Well, sure, why the hell not?
I disagree; the first thing you will notice after his postings, in most cases, is a series of objections to his habit of making wildly hyperbolic assertions and pointing out his frequent errors of fact, quickly followed by two or three more posts by the master himself, saying basically the same things he said in his first post and throwing in a few condescending insults at the other respondents to boot.
But hate him? I’ll freely admit that I think he’s one of the three or four most woodenheaded, arrogant, cloth-eared jerks to have ever repeatedly pissed all over this board, but I don’t hate him. Hell, I love him; in fact, he can fuck my sister*.
After a year or so of posting, I guess he has no idea that many of his posts read like Latka Gravas on speedballs, and that he’s never going to learn that restating one’s fact-free assertions 7 times in exactly the same fucking words does not an argument make. So now I read him mainly for entertainment. And man, does he deliver. So all I have to say to Alde is shine on, you crazy diamond.
*Note: entirely gratuitious Full Metal Jacket reference; my sister of course makes all her own decisions.
Libertarian - that’s funny. Yeah, I’ve been in lurker mode mostly, and lurked for quite a while before I was even a member. But this guy just kills me. Almost (but not quite) on par with The One Who Shall Not Be Named…
I’m actually kind of fond of him. You basically just have to learn to kick back with a nice glass of whiskey (I recommend 15 year single malt of your own preference) and just kind of gaze at his screed. He IS the master of the anti-US screed IMO (or anti-US’er screed to be accurate).
I’m with Grey also…he has kind of toned it down a bit and actually answers some questions now and then rationally. My all time favorite from The Master though, is (paraphrased as I’m too lazy to look for the cite) “My post is my cite!” I absolutely fell out of the chair with tears in my eyes when I read this classic Aldebaranism! One of these days I’m going to look that up and make it my tag line!!
I’m still hoping that the government is embarked on a massive hunt for Weapons of Mass Aldebaran though! But LONG LIVE THE MASTER!!
You basically just have to learn to kick back with a nice glass of whiskey (I recommend 15 year single malt of your own preference) and just kind of gaze at his screed. He IS the master of the anti-US screed IMO (or anti-US’er screed to be accurate).