I read this book that changed my life and gave me my Thread Hijacking License too

[Polycarp]

The title pretty well summarizes the idea here. I’m not worked up into outrage over this, just getting out a mild, mild rant about a petty annoyance.

But did you notice that for a long, long time, you could not say one word about the issue of death and/or one’s fate after death in GD without enduring an extended discourse on Near Death Experiences and what they say about life, the universe, and everything? Have you noticed that in the eyes of a few people, everything from getting cut off on the drive home to the cost of pet food is the fault of our esteemed President? Most recently, a GD thread on the evidence for and against the historicity of Jesus suddenly turned into a soapbox for one poster to present his POV based on a single author that he seems to have fallen in love with – you might say that the thread was ambushed by him!

I do think that everyone has a right to their own opinion, and I will cheerfully read a discourse at length on someone’s pet theory. But the day that that person believes that his opinions, the author he read that changed his worldview drastically, or whatever, is the sole topic of what started out as an interesting interchange of ideas, and that anyone who disagrees with him is disingenuous at best and most likely ignorant – well, that point is the moment that that thread stops being fun and interesting, an intellectual challenge, and becomes an annoyance that I will avoid.

While we’re at it, I would like to read more informed, intelligent defenses of Mr. Bush’s positions – I don’t think he’s completely evil, just working from a worldview I don’t share, and firmly convinced that he’s doing the right thing for America – but the petty sniping, for and against him, is getting positively annoying. Frankly, I find most of the anti-Bush remarks witty, if tiresome, but the pro-Bush drive-bys are just brutal snideness, if I may coin a phrase.

I don’t have a solution to the main gripe here – and to the second, lesser one, my only suggestion is for people to realize that an intelligent person can disagree with you, whatever your views, and that presenting your own view pithily and clearly is going to make more converts than resorting to drive-by insults.

This is so pitiful a rant I’m tempted to delete it – but it got a couple of petty annoyances off my chest, so I’m going to post it anyway.

[gobear]

@Polycarp

I do think that everyone has a right to their own opinion, and I will cheerfully read a discourse at length on someone’s pet theory. But the day that that person believes that his opinions, the author he read that changed his worldview drastically, or whatever, is the sole topic of what started out as an interesting interchange of ideas, and that anyone who disagrees with him is disingenuous at best and most likely ignorant – well, that point is the moment that that thread stops being fun and interesting, an intellectual challenge, and becomes an annoyance that I will avoid.

Agreed.

While we’re at it, I would like to read more informed, intelligent defenses of Mr. Bush’s positions – I don’t think he’s completely evil, just working from a worldview I don’t share, and firmly convinced that he’s doing the right thing for America – but the petty sniping, for and against him, is getting positively annoying. Frankly, I find most of the anti-Bush remarks witty, if tiresome, but the pro-Bush drive-bys are just brutal snideness, if I may coin a phrase.

Up to a point, my lord. The reflexive anti- and pro-Bush comments from the mentally challenged wing of the SDMB (Hi, Brutus) are repetitive and annoying.

And there are, I suppose, intelligent apologias to be made for Bush’s policies. But they have not been made here, or anywhere for that matter. The GOP faithful continue to insist that Saddam had WMDs, that Bush and Chenye were telling the truth about yellowcake in Niger, that there was no torture in Abu Ghraib, that the Iraqi war was well-planned. . . in short, in the face of all the evidence against them, they lie.

I supported the war, but then reversed myself when I saw how the Bush administratiuon had lied to the public about the pretexts for the war. The GOP continue to defend those lies, and that is why I do not respect them.

I can see disagreeing amicably over fiscal policy, over budget allocations, over education or the environment. But the lies of Bush and Cheney have gotten more than 1,000 American servicepeople killed or maimed for a war with nebulous goals and an occupation opposed by the people in whose names this war was started
I can’t smile and shake hands with people who support an adminstration that perpetrates evil on its own people as well as on the Iraqis.
Do you want a book recommendation? Read Seymour Hersh’s Chain of Command.

[Brutus]

@gobear

Hi, Brutus

HI!

[dropzone]

@Polycarp

I do think that everyone has a right to their own opinion, and I will cheerfully read a discourse at length on someone’s pet theory.

Oh yeah? If your attitude is shared by others then why are MY pet theories dismissed out of hand without anybody discoursing at length? Is a reasonable discussion of the possibility that the Moon photos were taken in Hitler’s Argentinian bungalow possible on the SDMB? I think not!

[Frank]

@gobear

Hi, Brutus

@Brutus

HI!

Well, at least you two are still speaking to each other.

[Q.E.D]

@This Year's Model

Well, at least you two are still speaking to each other.

More like speaking at each other.

[The_Flying_Dutchman]

@Polycarp

While we’re at it, I would like to read more informed, intelligent defenses of Mr. Bush’s positions – I don’t think he’s completely evil, just working from a worldview I don’t share, and firmly convinced that he’s doing the right thing for America

While we’re at it, I would like to read more informed, intelligent defenses of Mr. Kerry’s anti- positions – I don’t think he’s completely self-centered, just working from a worldview I don’t believe is realistic, and firmly convinced that he’s doing the right thing for America.

[silenus]

@dropzone

Is a reasonable discussion of the possibility that the Moon photos were taken in Hitler’s Argentinian bungalow possible on the SDMB? I think not!

Of course not! You prove yourself to be a nutcase right there. Everyone **knows ** that Hitler’s bungalow is in Paraguay!

[Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor]

@silenus

Of course not! You prove yourself to be a nutcase right there. Everyone **knows ** that Hitler’s bungalow is in Paraguay!

I knew that.
I learned about it during a Near Death Experience.

[vanilla]

I read this book which claims that Bush had an Out of Body Experience and it proves that Jesus really exsisted.
yep.

[Guinastasia]

@vanilla

I read this book which claims that Bush had an Out of Body Experience and it proves that Jesus really exsisted.
yep.

David Icke again, dearest?

[dropzone]

@silenus

Everyone **knows ** that Hitler’s bungalow is in Paraguay!

You are such a moron! What EVERYONE knows is that since he found the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine AND Captain Kidd’s treasure on Oak Island he can afford to move to a much nicer country than Paraguay. Then there’s the bonus of finally getting away from the Bormans. Martin and Amelia were okay the first few years but after nearly sixty years of canasta every single Saturday night after Havdalah, with Amelia gabbing about flying and Martin droning on and on about how the worldwide conspiracy did this week–can’t a guy have ONE LOUSY NIGHT away from the office?–he needed a break.

[Contrapuntal]

@dropzone

Oh yeah? If your attitude is shared by others then why are MY pet theories dismissed out of hand without anybody discoursing at length? Is a reasonable discussion of the possibility that the Moon photos were taken in Hitler’s Argentinian bungalow possible on the SDMB? I think not!

Perhaps this will help you make your case.

[Polycarp]

@dropzone

You are such a moron! What EVERYONE knows is that since he found the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine AND Captain Kidd’s treasure on Oak Island he can afford to move to a much nicer country than Paraguay. Then there’s the bonus of finally getting away from the Bormans. Martin and Amelia were okay the first few years but after nearly sixty years of canasta every single Saturday night after Havdalah, with Amelia gabbing about flying and Martin droning on and on about how the worldwide conspiracy did this week–can’t a guy have ONE LOUSY NIGHT away from the office?–he needed a break.

…and implied quotes of several preceding posts
Well, I see that you all got your Thread Hijacking Licenses!

[Steve_Wright]

Take this thread to Luton!

Please. If it’s no trouble. Near Luton will d-

:: This post has been abridged by the Society for the Prevention of Inane Monty Python References ::

[Aeschines]

@Polycarp

This is so pitiful a rant I’m tempted to delete it – but it got a couple of petty annoyances off my chest, so I’m going to post it anyway.

Next time give into temptation.

[Frank]

@Aeschines

Next time give into temptation.

Oh come now! Nobody’s actually addressed the OP, and there have been a couple of funny posts. I think Polycarp should still be allowed to post lame rants whenever his little heart desires, bless his heart.

[astro]

I have to agree with gobear. I’m generally more conservative than not in terms of my attitudes regarding the US taking appropriate and necessary measures to protect itself, but this dangerous, poorly considered adventure into Iraq, based on lightweight intelligence, and overall just the crappiest judgement imaginable, combined with an absolute, cynical refusal to acknowledge the facts of the situation, really makes me wonder if I want G.W. Bush as my President for the next four years. I’m not that entralled with Kerry, but I’m less entralled with Bush at this point.

[Polycarp]

@astro

I have to agree with gobear. I’m generally more conservative than not in terms of my attitudes regarding the US taking appropriate and necessary measures to protect itself, but this dangerous, poorly considered adventure into Iraq, based on lightweight intelligence, and overall just the crappiest judgement imaginable, combined with an absolute, cynical refusal to acknowledge the facts of the situation, really makes me wonder if I want G.W. Bush as my President for the next four years. I’m not that entralled with Kerry, but I’m less entralled with Bush at this point.

I’m not at all happy with Bush and his Reason-We-Invaded-Iraq-of-the-Month-Club policymaking. I find him largely to have been a disaster as President, for reasons I could outline in about 74 lengthy paragraphs. But this thread is not an anti-Bush rant.

But what I’m saying is post substantively, with reasons why you favor or oppose him or Kerry – or, for that matter, believe or disbelieve in a given faith, or favor or dislike SUVs, or even why you consider Balrogs to be alate or wingless (;)) – don’t just give a lame remark about dittoheads, or “Bushistas” for that matter.

I guess at rock bottom, I’m saying, by the grace of God or the Chicago Reader or the flying fickle finger of fate, we’ve been given an unprecedented means to communicate almost instantaneously across the breadth of the planet – and we ought to be using it for just that purpose, not to do monologues. I’ve yet to see the poster here that can do as good a sermon as I can get every Sunday – so I would appreciate it if the people who think they have a hammerlock on The Truth would go get themselves a blog and see if anybody reads it. There are some absolutely brilliant dialoguers here from whom I’ve learned a lot, and just plain trading off ideas, viewpoints, or simple fun with a concept, like the Dear Abby thread in Café Society, makes this place great to be a part of. That’s what the board is good for – not monologues that don’t attempt to engage the opposition or consider his/her points, and not drive-by sniping at your political (or religious or whatever) opponents. If I were on staff I’d propose that we encourage people to report drive-by sniping, with third reported offense grounds for banning.

[EddyTeddyFreddy]

If I were on staff I’d propose that we encourage people to report drive-by sniping, with third reported offense grounds for banning.

But, of course, one Doper’s driveby snipe is another Doper’s thigh-slapper riposte. Heck, there are times when even Brutus can crack me up. :eek:

Banning is such a severe sanction, it should be held in reserve for truly egregious misconduct. Not to mention the massively increased load on the mods if sniping were a reportable offense. Or the overwhelming of the Pit with fevered, anguished debate over the latest snipe-outs.