They all just want to play us

[Dim Bulb]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

 

[Mac1958]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

 

[Dim Bulb]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

 

[beagle9]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

. Well that was the case for many years, but the game has gotten far more serious than it ever has been in the past. We have way more serious issues that have been raised, and we are at war in countries that seem to be endless, then we have the local terrorism issue where Americans are courting or flirting with becoming terrorist, the illegal immigrant issue, radical Islamic terrorist issue, and the screwed up issues of transgenderism, cop's being killed, BLM, and all the other crazy bullcrap that's been going on in this country lately. The old political game in this country is over, because they have allowed the walls to close in around them now, and the issues have become far more hostile (game changers), for them now, and more so than ever before. We have had to step in more than ever now, and that is telling in and of itself.

 

[usmbguest5318]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

Sounds like you've been reading Zinn...LOL

 

[usmbguest5318]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

I must construe "we" as meaning "you and some cabal of your compatriots."

To the extent "we" means something other than that, no, no, no, no. WE all are not complicit in it.

 

[mamooth]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

 

[Dim Bulb]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

This post is a good example of exactly the dynamic I'm talking about. I don't care if you're posting about the "slave party" or how evil President Trump is. You might as well be the same person.

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

I must construe "we" as meaning "you and some cabal of your compatriots."

To the extent "we" means something other than that, no, no, no, no. WE all are not complicit in it.

To the extent that you think you are on a "side" and that "side" is beyond reproach, you are falling into the trap, imho. Thanks for the good example of my point.

 

[Mac1958]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

This post is a good example of exactly the dynamic I'm talking about. I don't care if you're posting about the "slave party" or how evil President Trump is. You might as well be the same person.

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

I must construe "we" as meaning "you and some cabal of your compatriots."

To the extent "we" means something other than that, no, no, no, no. WE all are not complicit in it.

To the extent that you think you are on a "side" and that "side" is beyond reproach, you are falling into the trap, imho. Thanks for the good example of my point.

Yep.

One of the many behaviors shared by both ends of the spectrum is an abject refusal to see the behaviors they share with the other "side".

Imagine being so similar to those you so loathe.
.

 

[Dim Bulb]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

This post is a good example of exactly the dynamic I'm talking about. I don't care if you're posting about the "slave party" or how evil President Trump is. You might as well be the same person.

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

I must construe "we" as meaning "you and some cabal of your compatriots."

To the extent "we" means something other than that, no, no, no, no. WE all are not complicit in it.

To the extent that you think you are on a "side" and that "side" is beyond reproach, you are falling into the trap, imho. Thanks for the good example of my point.

Yep.

One of the many behaviors shared by both ends of the spectrum is an abject refusal to see the behaviors they share with the other "side".

Imagine being so similar to those you so loathe.
.

That's the part that flummoxes me to no end. In their efforts to marginalize their perceived enemies, each attacker becomes what they loathe. I am as guilty as the next guy, but am trying to see if being self aware about this will get us to more substantive focus as a nation and as a culture. You've got to start somewhere I guess.

 

[Dim Bulb]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

Sounds like you've been reading Zinn...LOL

No, but close.

 

[Mac1958]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

This post is a good example of exactly the dynamic I'm talking about. I don't care if you're posting about the "slave party" or how evil President Trump is. You might as well be the same person.

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

I must construe "we" as meaning "you and some cabal of your compatriots."

To the extent "we" means something other than that, no, no, no, no. WE all are not complicit in it.

To the extent that you think you are on a "side" and that "side" is beyond reproach, you are falling into the trap, imho. Thanks for the good example of my point.

Yep.

One of the many behaviors shared by both ends of the spectrum is an abject refusal to see the behaviors they share with the other "side".

Imagine being so similar to those you so loathe.
.

That's the part that flummoxes me to no end. In their efforts to marginalize their perceived enemies, each attacker becomes what they loathe. I am as guilty as the next guy, but am trying to see if being self aware about this will get us to more substantive focus as a nation and as a culture. You've got to start somewhere I guess.

Well, this is a deep & widespread problem, and it has metastasized to the point now where it's a part of our very culture.

We're a long way from improving it, but a first step would certainly be finding a way to stop its growth.
.

 

[whitehall]

You can count on it. When lefties are out of power and they have no message and they lost every important election in the last several years they start whining about all politicians. The democrat party is pretty much hopeless so instead of working within the system to try to make it better, the truly ignorant dwindling democrat left wing base throws in the towel and convinces themselves that all politicians are evil. Stick your heads back in the sand you idiots. At least it keeps you from smashing windows, torching cars and shooting up baseball teams.

 

[beagle9]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

. All I can say is that it is your group you support who backs the Nazi facist-liberal-leftist groups/fundies agenda's in this country or even out of this country, and who also back's the women who want abortions to be used as birth control (even late term they want ?), also back's the out of control illegal immigration regardless of, back's the BLM who called for the wholesale slaughter of innocent cops, back's the Islamist terrorist who are just mad because they ain't got a job is all, and they just engage in workplace violence is all or they stay mad because we don't want them to remain stuck in the 16 century or whatever. Your group back's the notion that children should have sex changes, and if a boy feels like a girl for a day, then he can just try out the girls restrooms to see if he would feel more normal by doing so. Your group backs the oppression of Christianity in this country in order to let all of the above talked about flourish in this country without any resistance. Your group wants to socially engineer outcomes that fit with your minority views in our military etc. and you want Hollywood, the MSM, and the FEDS to muscle it all done for you. Your group wants vile and unethical things to be taught in the public school system, and to destroy history leaving a one sided view of it. Your group wants in some cases black supremacy to take the place of so called white supremacy or so called white privilege, and demand reparations in a one sided attempt at it. On and on it all goes with your group. Unbelievable really.

 

[Pogo]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

Yyyyep. I liken it to a puppeteer who dresses up his puppets in alternating red and blue costumes and endeavors to contrive strained stories of conflict between the puppets that are shiny-object interesting enough (and it doesn't take much) that we never notice they're all on strings, let alone look up to see who's manipulating them.

The two posts directly before this one being a perfect example. Playing right into the puppeteer's hands, oblivious to their own pawnage.

 

[Dim Bulb]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

This post is a good example of exactly the dynamic I'm talking about. I don't care if you're posting about the "slave party" or how evil President Trump is. You might as well be the same person.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

I must construe "we" as meaning "you and some cabal of your compatriots."

To the extent "we" means something other than that, no, no, no, no. WE all are not complicit in it.

To the extent that you think you are on a "side" and that "side" is beyond reproach, you are falling into the trap, imho. Thanks for the good example of my point.

Yep.

One of the many behaviors shared by both ends of the spectrum is an abject refusal to see the behaviors they share with the other "side".

Imagine being so similar to those you so loathe.
.

That's the part that flummoxes me to no end. In their efforts to marginalize their perceived enemies, each attacker becomes what they loathe. I am as guilty as the next guy, but am trying to see if being self aware about this will get us to more substantive focus as a nation and as a culture. You've got to start somewhere I guess.

Well, this is a deep & widespread problem, and it has metastasized to the point now where it's a part of our very culture.

We're a long way from improving it, but a first step would certainly be finding a way to stop its growth.
.

My only solution is to start with me and give my views to others. If they agree, great. Maybe it's just we smart people who were born in 1958 that get it... lol

 

[Pogo]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

This post is a good example of exactly the dynamic I'm talking about. I don't care if you're posting about the "slave party" or how evil President Trump is. You might as well be the same person.

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

I must construe "we" as meaning "you and some cabal of your compatriots."

To the extent "we" means something other than that, no, no, no, no. WE all are not complicit in it.

To the extent that you think you are on a "side" and that "side" is beyond reproach, you are falling into the trap, imho. Thanks for the good example of my point.

I don't think so.13 and 14 are far better illustrations. What Xelor may be saying, and I would say the same thing, is that not all of us fall into dichotomous broad brush generalizations. I've always made it a point to avoid that trap myself, because that's where it starts.

13 and 14 however, dove into it with both feet.

 

[Dim Bulb]

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

Yyyyep. I liken it to a puppeteer who dresses up his puppets in alternating red and blue costumes and endeavors to contrive strained stories of conflict between the puppets that are shiny-object interesting enough (and it doesn't take much) that we never notice they're all on strings, let alone look up to see who's manipulating them.

The two posts directly before this one being a perfect example. Playing right into the puppeteer's hands, oblivious to their own pawnage.

Oh yeah, it's sort of amazing to see the knee jerk examples of exactly what I'm talking about. I was re-reading Gatsby the other night and came across this line which I thought about in terms of today's political culture:

"...and it occurred to me that there was no difference between men, in intelligence or race, so profound as the difference between the sick and the well."

 

[usmbguest5318]

A fine phony equivalence argument from the OP, an argument so beloved of right-wing shills who want to pretend they're not right-wing shills.

The two sides are nothing alike. The right is far, far worse. Honest people admit that. Dishonest people run cover for their right-wing masters with phony equivalence nonsense.

This post is a good example of exactly the dynamic I'm talking about. I don't care if you're posting about the "slave party" or how evil President Trump is. You might as well be the same person.

Left wing, right wing, it's all the same. They want us chirping their mostly stupid talking points at each other so that we won't notice that they're all doing basically the same things. They want us repeating thoughtless crap at each other, dividing us so that we won't notice that the leaders on both sides don't really care about anything but power and money. And so many of us fall into the trap and chirp and chirp and they laugh while they collect their power and money.

I don't think you're far off.

But they're being enabled by the obedient sheep in both parties who spin and deflect and lie for them.

Without their flocks, they wouldn't be able to get away with this.
.

Agree. The babble of dissension is what gives them air cover and we're all complicit in it.

I must construe "we" as meaning "you and some cabal of your compatriots."

To the extent "we" means something other than that, no, no, no, no. WE all are not complicit in it.

To the extent that you think you are on a "side" and that "side" is beyond reproach, you are falling into the trap, imho. Thanks for the good example of my point.

To the extent that you think you are on a "side" and that "side" is beyond reproach, you are falling into the trap, imho.

Well, what exactly makes you think I think I'm am on any side and that the side you think I think I am on is beyond reproach?

 

[Pogo]

I personally think this childishly dichotomous politics-as-football-game motif, where "our team" must at any cost "outscore" the "players" of "their team" has its roots in the concept of Eliminationism -- the singleminded (and simpleminded) philosophy that those with which one disagrees must be not heard out, not reasoned with, not negotiated with, but rather literally Eliminated like a bacteria. Because "Liberalism is a mental disease" or "Republicans are racists" or whatever --- again the blanket generalization is a required starting point.

First they demonize with that broad brush, then all sorts of nefarious personality traits may be applied so that they become subhuman and therefore legitimate targets for extermination. And I think that started on a mass scale with Lush Rimjob. Which is exactly why I call him Lush Rimjob. Knowing that one is engaging in a Generalization Fallacy is irresponsible enough, but generating and exploiting it in others for one's own gain is abject scumbaggery.