Idiot of the day 2013: Wishing that the Mayans were right.

[Meiousei]

I recall going to a Catholic private school briefly from Kindergarten to 2nd grade. My family could "scarcely" afford it (it's why I got pulled out in 2nd grade), but they wanted the best for me. That being sad...I disagree with the author on many MANY things said, but one point stuck out the most.

The 7th paragraph discusses how bad her high school was: how she didn't have to read but one book, how there was no AP classes. Guess what? We had LOTS of books. I was in an AP English class. And this was in NORMAL high school. (Mind you I also lived in an middle class area that had SOME rich and SOME poor areas, but that's besides the point). I feel the writer has ENVY, HATRED for the children who are getting an education from private schools because she feels she was failed when she was in school and anyone that does send their child to a private school is a person that should be utterly hated.

[NotMiki]

French Slate is actually one of my very favourite sites and I've been terribly disappointed each time I've tried the American one "because come on it can't be that bad because this should basically be the same site". Every time I'm disappointed.
Looks like they just bought the classy color and title, and changed everything else including layout.

American Slate has some good things going - their legal coverage is top notch.  There's also just a good chunk of detritus to sift through.

[Luther Lansfeld]

http://www.catholicregister.org/news/canada/item/16778-pq-‘idealogues’-behind-charter-of-quebec-values

Quebec wants to flip off English speaking Canada by... stripping rights from religious people? 'Kay.

[NotMiki]

If you ever compile a list of things that suck about Canada, Parti Quebecois are exhibit #1 period end of story.

[Hunter Sopko]

Over Bryan Adams, the Toronto Maple Leafs, flapping heads, and being nice to people?

[NotMiki]

Over Bryan Adams, the Toronto Maple Leafs, flapping heads, and being nice to people?

Without the Toronto Maple Leafs there would be no Tears of Toronto Maple Leafs Fans and without them Gary Bettman would shrivel up and die, so...good point.

[Anthony Edward Stark]

How does Nickleback not make that list?

[Tide]

If you ever compile a list of things that suck about Canada, Parti Quebecois are exhibit #1 period end of story.

Parti Quebecois is like a bad running joke. I think at this point, even they may realize it, so they are just going out of the way to do everything stupid that they can. Because why not.

[Hunter Sopko]

How does Nickleback not make that list?

What's a Nickleback?

[DjinnAndTonic]

Clearly: a five-cent return on some investment. In other words, functionally worthless!

[Sierra]

How does Nickleback not make that list?

What's a Nickleback?

Shut the fuck up, Donny.

[Luther Lansfeld]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/harrybinswanger/2013/09/17/give-back-yes-its-time-for-the-99-to-give-back-to-the-1/

I feel my gray matter seeping out of my ears. Is this satire? Did a 13 year old hack their website?

[Grefter]

Trickle down economics totally work.  You just have to make sure the people at the top love you and the only way you can get love is to give them things.  Give them your money so they love you and give you back your money.  Make trickle down work by pissing up stream.  totes legit sane thing.

[superaielman]

Ayn Rand fan. Why am I not surprised?

[AndrewRogue]

So Ash and i did some research and back reading.

He is actually a protege of Ayn Rand.

[NotMiki]

I got to "all proper human interactions are win-win" before giving up on the article.  Being Randian is one thing; being hopelessly naive is quite another.

[AndrewRogue]

Speaking of, it struck me that's what really bothers me about Randian stuff. It is very... indoctrinated? They worship the idea of the capitalist/inventor/whatever way more than the other side demonizes it.

[Fenrir]

I've just spent days doing SERIOUS Yattaf roleplay
And yet here I find a guy who's even prouder to be lawful evil

That naivety can't possibly be genuine


He likes to post in the comments too:

"Altruism, the moral code of self-sacrifice, damns the productive for being productive. Altruism are instructed to renounce, surrender, accept suffering as our inevitable lot. I can see where that idea would have had appeal (as wrong as it is) in the Dark Ages, but today, when we are contemplating missions to Mars?!"

[Sierra]

Speaking of, it struck me that's what really bothers me about Randian stuff. It is very... indoctrinated? They worship the idea of the capitalist/inventor/whatever way more than the other side demonizes it.

It's a cult of sociopathy. Logic does not apply, only the allure of a "philosophy" that claims to justify the adherent's atavistic impulses.

Any person that references Ayn Rand in any positive sense can safely be set to Ignore.

[SnowFire]

Speaking of, it struck me that's what really bothers me about Randian stuff. It is very... indoctrinated? They worship the idea of the capitalist/inventor/whatever way more than the other side demonizes it.

It's a cult of sociopathy. Logic does not apply, only the allure of a "philosophy" that claims to justify the adherent's atavistic impulses.

Any person that references Ayn Rand in any positive sense can safely be set to Ignore.

I enjoy reading Ayn Rand's columns she wrote in the 1970s.  She is an Internet ranter before the Internet, writing short, pithy, punchy, and unfair essays criticizing stuff she doesn't like and usually misrepresenting it.

I think Rand's thoughts on abortion are pretty spot-on, and I actually prefer to use libertarian arguments as the basis for a pro-choice position (rather than some rather uncomfortable alternatives).

Ayn Rand's "novel" writing is fun to criticize!

I find the split in Ayn Rand's followers between the ARI and the other Objectivist sets to be both amusing and useful, where it turns out you can build a cult that requires 100% obedience even around a philosophy theoretically based around free-thinking, idealism, and logic.
--

I await the Cideon's ignoral.

[Dhyerwolf]

I watched the big budget "Atlas Shrugged Part 1" like a month ago, and it was amazing for anyone who wants to revel on how idiotic it comes across when acted out.

[Grefter]

You could read it out loud for same effect.

[NotMiki]

"Altruism, the moral code of self-sacrifice, damns the productive for being productive. Altruism are instructed to renounce, surrender, accept suffering as our inevitable lot. I can see where that idea would have had appeal (as wrong as it is) in the Dark Ages, but today, when we are contemplating missions to Mars?!"

The naivate comes from the unfounded idea that productivity is in itself some sort of ultimate good.  Um, no.  Hitler was good at genocide, but that is generally considered a bad thing.

[Grefter]

Idle hands do the devil's work Jim.

[Dhyerwolf]

You could read it out loud for same effect.

I was masochistic enough to watch the movie, but nowhere near enough to touch the book.