So if we only think we’re thinking, how do you know you’re actually thinking? Maybe you only think you’re thinking too.
In other words, suppose you were brainwashed. How could you tell? Suppose you weren’t brainwashed. How could you tell?
To add a smiley, click ‘go advanced’ and look around. And I think you just answered your own question: to get powerless and yet peaceful, get brainwashed. Religion being a method of doing so that might even fit the actual definition of ‘brainwashed’, if you do it properly.
If you think you’re thinking, or even if you think that you think you’re thinking, then wonder no more - you are thinking! About thinking! But beware, now that that question has been settled and you aren’t thinking about it anymore, you may not be thinking after all.
Out of curiousity, as long as we’re bringing Descartes into it, how do you plan to support your assertion that someone else is thinking? You haven’t yet established that any of you sods even exist.
Putting aside the fun for a moment, americans as a rule are pretty insulated from the rest of the world and tend to take little interest in things outside their own little sphere of existence. I’m not sure whether that makes us any different from the population of any other first-world country, but everyone else says we are, so I guess I’ll tentatively take their word for it.
This doesn’t mesh very well with the word ‘brainwashed’, though; it’s not just a handy pejorative; the word has an actual meaning of it’s own too.
the implication that there is anything clean about my brain.
And obviously Google is not to be trusted— for God’s sake, their corporate motto has the word “evil” in it!
Let’s put these two Big Gs aside and have a few ideas not controlled by Brainwashington: how can politicians do any good?
Google was YOUR idea. So if you’re implying that the involvement of Google is a result of brainwashing, as you seem to be, then logically YOU’RE the one who’s brainwashed, so we should all ignore you.
I just lost the Game.
where did you get that idea?
People are having a lot of trouble understand what you are saying. I’m guessing English isn’t your first language, so please try to explain yourself in more detail.
The United States is not a Democracy, it’s a Democratic Republic. Otherwise you’d be voted off the island for posting a debate based on the number of Google hits.
By voting for it or signing it into law?
I’m the biggest critic of politicians on earth, but even a broken clock is right twice a day (unless the hands fall off I suppose). Are you suggesting that nothing good has ever come out of politics/government ever? The Bill of Rights? The Emancipation Proclamation? Nothing?
Let’s not put Descartes before the horse.
You said:
I interpreted that to mean that you were contrasting the “two Big Gs”, including Google, and “not controlled by Brainwashington”. In other words, saying that the “two Big Gs” ARE controlled by “Brainwashington”. The rest follows logically.
This is turning into a hijack, I fear, so I for one will drop it now.
I think I see your problem. . . .
The Mexican border?
The “research” in the OP reminds me of Ali G’s attempt to get venture capital for his ice cream glove:
Is it true that if you Google “Google” the universe will explode? I remember reading that on the internet and I am too afraid to find out.
Well, duh, you wrote it in English and came back with the largest English-speaking nation. Try translating your query into German or Cantonese.
This is just to wrap up some loose ends. Per Wikipedia, which is just as good as googling, there are roughly 309,331,000 people in the US and the DOD budget for 2010 is $533.8 billion. That’s $1,725.66 (rounding the pennies up) per person. Here’s a breakdown (wiki). At 23% of the federal budget, it’s the largest slice of the budget pie.
$154.2 billion of that goes to military personnel, which keeps folks employed and off the street. If you ever get around to talking about closing bases, this and the trickle-down effect to towns where bases are located is going to be what people are thinking of when they say “hell no”. Oh, and family housing is $3.1 billion.
Since I’m on break and have nothing better to do, let’s look at that $1,726.66. That’s $143.80 per person per month, which is more than my cable bill but less than my PG&E bill. It’s also less than my car payment. If I had to pay for my own health insurance, it would be a helluva lot less than that. Just for perspective.
Or you could look at it as $33.19 per week. That’s looking more like a bargain. No, wait! Let’s see what it is per day. (Drumroll) Only $4.74 a day. I spent more than that for lunch. For less than $5 a day, you can fund the biggest, highest tech army on the planet. You know you want to. Just think of all the nifty toys.
No elmwood, you lot are self-loathing. We Brits are merely a bit more worldly-wise and reflective. 