tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6115763444975408090.post8951540702459802647..comments2023-03-22T09:57:50.719-03:00Comments on StructuredDream: How does one vote when insanity rules?BurntSynapsehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03641657321119260817noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6115763444975408090.post-80208665453097719982010-10-29T12:13:02.188-03:002010-10-29T12:13:02.188-03:00When I think of the Nazi's, I mostly associate...When I think of the Nazi's, I mostly associate them with Hitler, Goering, Goebbels, and Nuremberg defendants - which is why probably did not think it particularly relevant, especially with the seemingly numerous Nazi references in Star Trek by the Minute.<br /><br />The term "street thugs" seems a bit too smug a label for my comfort. I'm convinced we all have the capacity for horrible crimes as well as the noblest virtues, a truth seemingly obscured or made more difficult to remember when we use epithets. <br /><br />Saying "Nazi's used thugs" also seems questionable... If capitalizing on support of followers who are sometimes violent, we could quite accurately say "Gandhi used thugs" also. I think we need better precision in our language if we want to understand why the Rand Paul incident is troubling and for me, widespread, deeply held misconceptions and militant attitudes suggestive of mass insanity are more important than the individual acts (like "using thugs") which illustrate such trends.<br /><br />I think ignorance of Nazi violence probably helped them gain and maintain power, just as such ignorance helps U.S. and others maintain criminal, violent control of peoples around the world. Regrettably, I know of no remedy for deliberate ignorance, where people are willing to go to great lengths not to recognize obvious facts - just look at the percentage of people who believe the entire universe was designed so a highly destructive primate could briefly exist on a small planet near an unremarkable star out in the boonies of a small galaxy.<br /><br />We are really, incredibly bad at having any sense of objectivity or perspective! :DBurntSynapsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03641657321119260817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6115763444975408090.post-51642884556160380112010-10-28T22:25:33.227-03:002010-10-28T22:25:33.227-03:00Who's talking about the leadership or when the...Who's talking about the leadership or when the nazi's were firmly established? When they were coming to power they used street thugs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6115763444975408090.post-32321080294434967082010-10-27T20:46:32.137-03:002010-10-27T20:46:32.137-03:00IRL, I was asked why I avoided the Nazi comparison...IRL, I was asked why I avoided the Nazi comparison. In fact, it honestly did not occur to me, since the Nazi's are known for their accomplishments when they had real power. Their evil was enabled by corporate style, large scale division of labor, so that each individual was not doing anything that could be specifically identified as evil. <br /><br />This is quite different than the radical extremist whose compatriots are seen in the video gesturing for him to stop stomping on a helpless woman's head. While this is an individual example of a cultural mood in which Nazi's arose (economic downturn, scape-goating immigrants, homophobia, rampant militarism, religious fanaticism, and patriotic fervor) I don't consider this undisciplined, probably poorly educated Rand Paul campaign organizer representative of the highly educated Nazi leadership who had substantial religious and philosophical foundations making their decisions for horrific crimes entirely "rational" and justified in the defense of what they and Bush I call, "civilization itself".BurntSynapsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03641657321119260817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6115763444975408090.post-5903670944168701612010-10-27T12:25:37.353-03:002010-10-27T12:25:37.353-03:00Oh, I have no doubt. These reactions are very pre...Oh, I have no doubt. These reactions are very predictable, and when they occurred in Germany it was quite similar. What is of interest to me is what one can do about it.<br /><br />I think there is greater awareness and activism, but as we saw with the wars, it was not enough to stop the colossal crimes openly supported by elite sectors, especially the agenda-setting corporate media...including NPR, widely regarded as "liberal" and "pacifist".BurntSynapsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03641657321119260817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6115763444975408090.post-5073618523805882932010-10-27T10:51:52.959-03:002010-10-27T10:51:52.959-03:00I'm surprised you didn't make the Nazi com...I'm surprised you didn't make the Nazi comparison. You were almost there. How long until unofficial "supporters" break loose in civilian clothing? How long until an "American Kristallnacht" against who? Liberals? Muslims? Go look at internet posted articles about this incident on mainstream websites and then look at the comments. You will find people justifying the violence. We are getting close.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6115763444975408090.post-31106818241635635162010-10-27T10:23:51.937-03:002010-10-27T10:23:51.937-03:00Rand Paul. not Ron PaulRand Paul. not Ron PaulAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com