[CCTALK] RE: Rants

From: Raymond Moyers <rmoyers_at_nop.org>
Date: Fri May 17 09:44:45 2002

On Friday 17 May 2002 08:10, you wrote:

> > -- Argus Hamilton
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Although I don't think *anyone* on the list cares, it is
> usual and customary, when quoting people who are not widely
> known by a particular readership, to provide a statement as
>
> to who the person is who is being quoted. For example:
> > -- Argus Hamilton, right-wing comedian
>
> Otherwise, such quotes fall out of the category of commentary
> and into the category of propaganda...

And is response, this one seems apropos

        The cavalier attitude toward historical truth has reached
        epidemic proportions - has in fact become part of the
        intellectual furniture of our age, something presupposed
        rather than argued for.

        One sign of this situation is the horror with which the idea
        of 'objective truth' is regarded in certain academic circles
        today.

        Another is the widespread tendency to downgrade
        facts to matters of opinion -- a tendency that follows
        naturally from the rejection of objective truth.

        This shows itself in the amazingly prevalent assumption
        that truth is 'relative,' i.e., that the truth of what is said
        depends crucially on the interests, prejudices, and even
        the sex or ethnic origin of the speaker, rather than on -
        - well, the truth or falsity of what the speaker says.

        The basic idea is that truth is somehow invented
        rather than discovered.

        The irony that attends this triumph of interpretation over facts
        is that it ultimately undermines fact. When facts are downgraded
        to opinions, they no longer have the authority of facts;
        but opinions without the bedrock of facts deliquesce into whims.

        Opinion remains opinion only so long as it is grounded in,
        and can be corrected by, fact.

        What is at stake in the confusion of fact and opinion ..
        .. is nothing less than the common world of factual realtiy
         and historical truth."
         -- Roger Kimball, "In Defense of Facts"

> Again, you have clearly have good experience with Unix systems
> which the list would benefit from. But if you keep this ranting
> up, everyone will just start to filter you out.

 That would be great, my mailer has a twit filter as do most
 others i could name, and that would be the proper action
 to take.

 When you make use of your twit filter you supress only
 your own senses, for bad or good.

 This is not the same as those that embark on their own
 crusade, not satisfied with control of their own twit
 filter, but at supression, that is in effect the co opting
 of control of everyone elses filter

 See its not their own viewscreen they attempt to filter, but
 the aim is to filter the viewscreens of everyone else.

 Its not that they are concerned by what they might hear
 the aim is to prevent anyone else from hearing it.

 You should look at what happens when a conservative
 speaker dares accept an invitation at todays leftist controled
 universities, the intolerance and behavior of these new
 leftist brown shirts scares to the very core.

 My interest in this list is the same as the topic of this
 list, i dont join in technical forums to evangelize
 politics or bash winblows any more than the others
 ive seen here, even you have voiced your own concern that
 you be forced to wash your posts in too much detergent.

 Poltical commentary in passing, metaphor, a jab in the ribs,
 humor, winblows bashing, totaly baseless calling others "stupid"
 Well cest la vie.

 My reservations about the list bifurcation is only the maint
 load on the maintainer, it would seem to me that once
 the maintinace required becomes non-trivial the eventual
 outcome is to toss in the towel all together.

 So you are basically left with two choices, let the touchie-feelie
 intolerants force their demand for sterility, at which time
 they, as always would simply rachet up their demands
 or route all the demonstrating and placard waving to
 /dev/null and allow them to find a more wobbly object
 on which to press their "power process".

 Raymond

"Double standards, inevitably, erode honesty. ..Intolerance
 poses as tolerance, and the double-entry bookkeeping leads
 to deception. It's all a house of cards, bound to collapse sooner
 or later. Sooner would be better." --John Leo
Received on Fri May 17 2002 - 09:44:45 BST