RE: Is Harassment of Public Figures Acceptable: Your Sincere Opinion
August 7, 2018 at 4:07 pm
(This post was last modified: August 7, 2018 at 4:09 pm by Amarok.)
(August 7, 2018 at 3:38 pm)vulcanlogician Wrote:My observation as well nice too see someone else sees it as well(August 7, 2018 at 2:54 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote: When someone calls half of the electorate "deplorable" or "bitter clingers" it only reinforces the perception that that someone holds them in contempt. Building resentment against you isn't a good way to earn votes.
The reason your response means little to me is that (while I quoted Clinton), I was channeling Plato. Plato doesn't attribute much importance to "how one is perceived" or "how good one is at earning votes." And nor do I. These things are secondary to an actual ability to perform well in a given office. Democracy, for all its merits, does have the downside of being largely based on public illusion.
I think Plato's thoughts are pertinent here. Particularly "the ship of state" wherein the electorate is portrayed as a bumbling shipowner whose inability to perceive things clearly leads to the exaltation of people who can exploit his limited perceptive capacities. Individuals who can "capture the public imagination" find their way into power, while those who actually know what they're doing and can actually solve the problems at hand are pushed to the wayside because they aren't very good at manipulationg the public.
(August 7, 2018 at 2:35 pm)Khemikal Wrote:This is true(August 7, 2018 at 2:28 pm)Neo-Scholastic Wrote:
- Primarily by electing someone else.
Publicly advocating for your cause.
Distributing literature.
Petitioning officials.
Assembling to organize and peaceably demonstrate.
Not by stalking individuals and their families and intimidating them in their private lives. When that becomes the norm then no one will want to be in public service. What goes around comes around.
The fewer ghouls like the ones you're carrying water for who want to be in public service...the better.
When the law has failed, and our shared ideology has been subverted...shame is the final recourse before violence. What goes around comes around...indeed.
(August 7, 2018 at 2:56 pm)Khemikal Wrote: Holding someone in contempt is not harassment..and some people really are contemptuous.Especially when they deserve our contempt
Like you, for example. Casting the assholes who set public policy as victims..rather than..oh, IDK, the public that the policy plays out in.
Seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy -- myself.
Inuit Proverb
Inuit Proverb