That what some most critics said about Monet...
Posted on 09/09/2008 1:46:25 PM PDT by Yanni.Znaio
I hang out at both right-wing and left-wing sites as I enjoy seeing a broad range of opinion and having reasoned discourse not only with people with whom I agree (at both types of sites) but also people with whom I disagree (again, at both types of sites). And frequently the latter discussions are more fun, not to mention more interesting.
And one thing I've noticed recently is the fact that all too often, when a poster is trying to discuss a position, they tend to overgeneralize.
People on the right post "Liberals think this" and people on the left say, "Conservatives think that". Republicans post "Democrats say this" and Democrats post "Republicans say that". And both of them say "Libertarians say the other".
Do you see what's wrong here? When we make generalizations about our opponents, of whatever stripe, well, that's what's called bigotry, plain and simple. It tends to raise the hackles of the members of the group that is being discussed, and leads to a deterioration not only the quality of the discussion, but of the civility of that discussion as well.
I'm going to suggest one word that not only get past this this problem, but could also lead to a difference in the way that people think. And that word is SOME.
If you say "Libertarians are closet anarchists", well, you probably just irritated the heck out of all Libertarians, whether Big-L or small-L, orthodox or economic. If you say Republicans are anti-feminist, well, you've just created a whole lot of "women scorned". And some men "scorned", too.
When you paint with too broad a brush, you become a sloppy painter.
Remember the old tongue-in-cheek quip that "All generalizations are false".
I hope I've made my point.
To SOME of you, anyway.
See the tree, how big it’s grown
But friend it hasn’t been too long
It wasn’t big
I laughed at her and she got mad
The first day that she planted it, was just a twig
Then the first snow came
And she ran out to brush the snow away
So it wouldn’t die
Came runnin’ in all excited
Slipped and almost hurt herself
And I laughed till I cried
She was always young at heart
Kinda dumb and kinda smart and I loved her so
And I surprised her with a puppy
Kept me up all Christmas Eve two years ago
And it would sure embarrass her
When I came in from workin’ late
‘Cause I would know
That she’d been sittin’ there and cryin’
Over some sad and silly late, late show
And honey, I miss you
And I’m bein’ good
And I’d love to be with you
If only I could
She wrecked the car and she was sad
And so afraid that I’d be mad
But what the heck
Though I pretended hard to be
Guess you could say she saw through me
And hugged my neck
I came home unexpectedly
And caught her cryin’ needlessly
In the middle of the day
And it was in the early Spring
When flowers bloom and robins sing
She went away
And honey, I miss you
And I’m bein’ good
And I’d love to be with you
If only I could
One day while I was not at home
While she was there and all alone
The angels came
Now all I have is memories of Honey
And I wake up nights and call her name
Now my life’s an empty stage
Where Honey lived and Honey played
And love grew up
And a small cloud passes overhead
And cries down on the flower bed
That Honey loved
And see the tree how big it’s grown
But friend it hasn’t been too long
It wasn’t big
And I laughed at her and she got mad
The first day that she planted it, was just a twig
That what some most critics said about Monet...
Change the word to “most” and you’ll probably be more accurate
Point taken. How about “MOST VISIBLE...”?
Your very discourse is painting with a broad brush and suggesting that there is very little difference between what is right and that which is left.
Kudos to both of you, if that's not an overgeneralization.
Liberals are closet Communists unless they are open Communists.
Conservatives are gun loving, tax cutting, Constitutionalists.
what fun would these sites be if we tried to PC them all up. I am sick of PC mush. These are places to speak your mind.
I wore that Bobby Goldsboro record out...playin’ it over and over. Back in the day.
Kind of a broad-brush observation, don't you think? ;-)
I’ve got to agree with your point.
However, it depends on whether you’re on FR, DU, reclusiveleftist, or hillaryis44.
There’s a rational/irrational poster ratio which varies from site to site.
In some cases SOME could be replaced by “All you SOBs”
Just kiddin'.
What would you like to discuss?
"All too often", in the context of that sentence, doesn't say how many people are doing it.
It refers to the desired frequency of said (mis)behavior.
I had to think about that one.
“Most visible” would work, I suppose.
Could also be attributed to the fact that loons (both human and avian) are LOUD.
ALL OF US NEVER SAID THAT.
“Do you see what’s wrong here?”
I do indeed, the Democrats don’t know what they are talking about.
Not closet-anarchist Libertarians. ;)
I swim other waters also. Loons are loons everywhere, but I measure the relative civility and rationality of discourse. Yes, there are a few non-FReeper-troll rational comments on DU. Most of my friends are liberal and current events challenged. (I’m working on it.) Not all on the left are who this board reacts to, and sometimes too broad of a brush is used. But dang! The reaction to a VP selection has revealed the inner nature of the self-identified left. Considering the recent provocations, this board has been rather reserved. :)
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