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To: Laverne
"malignant narcissism"
That's an awfully good label for the idea that criticism is superior to performance:
Socialism is nothing but criticism and second guessing of those who actually do things. Theodore Roosevelt
There is no more unhealthy being, no man less worthy of respect, than he who either really holds, or feigns to hold, an attitude of sneering disbelief toward all that is great and lofty, whether in achievement or in that noble effort which, even if it fails, comes to second achievement. A cynical habit of thought and speech, a readiness to criticise work which the critic himself never tries to perform, an intellectual aloofness which will not accept contact with life's realities - all these are marks, not as the possessor would fain to think, of superiority but of weakness. They mark the men unfit to bear their part painfully in the stern strife of living, who seek, in the affection of contempt for the achievements of others, to hide from others and from themselves in their own weakness. The rôle is easy; there is none easier, save only the rôle of the man who sneers alike at both criticism and performance.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds . . .

Why Broadcast Journalism is
Unnecessary and Illegitimate

5 posted on 08/12/2007 4:58:58 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion (The idea around which liberalism coheres is that NOTHING actually matters except PR.)
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To: conservatism_IS_compassion
but who does actually strive to do the deeds . . .That is a great quotation, however, many of the people we criticize are not strivers doing deeds but folks who get their wealth and power by being cronies or coconspirators of those in high positions. Even Teddy took on the Trusts as institutions of privilege, although many men who deservedly have been given the title "great" were beneficiaries of those Trusts.
27 posted on 08/12/2007 7:56:27 AM PDT by AndyJackson
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To: conservatism_IS_compassion

Money quote


40 posted on 08/15/2007 2:07:03 PM PDT by Dr.Deth
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