(April 21, 2017 at 8:03 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: I think the moment someone thinks people who hold opinions other then their own are stupid or evil or bad in someway for holding those opinions, they are an asshole.
That depends on the opinion they are holding.
People have come here with the opinion that the holocaust never happened or that the "jews deserved it" can I not find those people in contempt?
Quote:It isn't necessarily an extremist thing either. There are plenty of people who aren't extreme who think all Republicans are stupid (sure, lets see you perform the Neuro-surgery that Ben Carson does.)
It does seem strange that people who are otherwise smart blind themselves in special ways. it may be that a smart person can believe a stupid thing. In fact sometimes the clever people use their smarts to work out ways to justify their stupid belief.
Many Christians do this.
Quote: and there are people with extreme political views who are perfectly nice and can engage with people in a fine rational manner, Noam Chomsky comes to mind. He's probably never raised his voice in his life.
I think the assholery really comes into play when it involves how you view the other side rather then what positions you yourself holds.
People who are unwilling to hold onto to views despite overwhelming reasons to shift.
I have always voted the british labour party, until now, they have managed to have as leader someone who seems to share none of my ideals. So I am shifting allegiance and now consider myself a liberal democrat.
Some people though would vote for their party no matter what.
They follow political parties they way people support a football team
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
Tinkety Tonk and down with the Nazis.
