Originally Posted by hermanboo

I've been watching your postings for a while and noticed that the Mahasattva seems a remarkably astute student of the Maharushi. Couldn't you save yourself and the rest of us a lot of trouble by just repeatedly posting the link to the Limbaugh Letter or whatever it's called?

Originally Posted by Jason Marcel

The "hate-threads" here are boring, but they're revealing of how Americans see each other.

Originally Posted by Jason Marcel

But when it comes to politics, Americans have been made to hate each other through brainwashing.

Originally Posted by drgoodtrips

I think that's the symptom, rather than the cause. If you pull back and look at people on this board or in general when they argue over political figures, they could well be rooting for boxers in a fight or their favorite football teams. In fact, the level of discourse is often no different, with partisan politics being reduced to "What kind of dickhead could possibly like X, X sucks!!!" And, I think that a lot of people's opinions on politics are less informed than their opinions about favorite sports teams, which are out of necessity, often grounded in fact.

I submit that the cause of what you're seeing here is the natural conclusion of the American "frontier" mentality. That is, hyper-competitiveness, individualism, proving oneself, etc. Throughout much of American history, this resulted in exploration, innovation, bravery, pioneering, etc. But now, with Manifest Destiny fulfilled and most people living with two cars, a house, and 2.3 kids, there is nothing left to explore. But, this vestigial mentality remains, and it causes Americans to crave semi-gladiatorial sense of competition in all things, and our political process is no different.

Think about how the election campaigns go. Even the debates are set up as adversarial with "winner" and "loser" as prognosticated by the endless stream of pundits. Hell, they probably divide them into "rounds" and use metaphors like "on the ropes" and "knockout punch". It seems to me that a debate (and campaigns) ought to be more about hashing out sensible policy ideas than anything else, but for us, it's about picking a team to root for, and getting really pissed off if that team doesn't win. Just like if you watch your team lose a Monday Night football game, you knock back a few beers, angrily shove your wife out of the way, and head on down to the pub so that you can commiserate with fellow loyalists or get in fights with people there gloating.

And, because of this adversarial setup, people who lack education or political awareness can get in on the debate (this is also aided by simplistic wedge issues like abortion or gay marriage). It isn't even necessary to understand anything about politics or policy to pick a team and root, root, root for it. I remember sitting in a bar some months ago, and listening to this idiotic liberal woman scream about how "The Republicans" were trying to "keep her poor". I asked which specific policies she was referring to, and she actually asked "how am I supposed to know?!?" I settled up and went somewhere else. All you need to participate in the process is a strong, uninformed opinion, and to remember that the less you know, the louder you should be. This is the essential rule of US politics.

So, that's is where the insults come from. I don't think the insults you mention cause the level of discourse to be silly. I think it runs a lot deeper than that.

Originally Posted by Tim

Is this a literal quote?

If it is, the condescension and contempt are breathtaking.

But only if it is a literal quote....

Originally Posted by Jason Marcel

I don't disagree with that statement. But think about why that is.

Americans, like any other free people, mostly choose to get along in their everyday lives, do favors for each other, whatever.

But when it comes to politics, Americans have been made to hate each other through brainwashing. Meanwhile, the lobbyists and special interests as well as the politicians, they all get along just fine. In Washington, it's like pro-wrestling; they pretend to step in the ring with each other and duke it out, but they all end up at the same bar after work. Americans have been duped but they don't even know it.

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

Said the guy who starts 20 some-odd "hate Obama" threads in about two weeks.

If "we all" need to see plenty of "hate bs". we all know where to come, don't we all?

Originally Posted by CorpMediaSux

Bitter, that's all that can be used to describe you guys.

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

Actually, we DO talk a lot of politics, and we DO get along. We just don't act the same way as some of us do online, where we can't get punched in the mouth.

I'll bet even Lost Soul is a lot less strident when discussing politics, face to face with an Obama supporter.

Originally Posted by CorpMediaSux

Yeah this is what is a little bit contradictory about you. You claim to a: be proud of your opinions and who you are, b: able and eager to state your opinions and c: not be too concerned with the opinions of others. And yet you hardly ever really articulate or explain your positions. You merely state them. And that can't really work if there's going to be a debate. I can state my opinions and you can state yours and there can be this meaningless back and forth. Or you can investigate the reasoning/evidence behind my claims and present your own to defeat them. That's a debate. And it's not what you tend to do. Now, as you said, you "don't care." But you start alot of threads and you post alot, so clearly, you care a little bit. You also take the time to quote and respond to people, so you are reading what they say. So why do all that and not also engage with what they say?

Originally Posted by CorpMediaSux

Mahassatva wrote: Its the attitude behind such comments that is bothersome.

That attitude being what? I'm curious as to what you think the attitude is. I will say though, I'm dubious of any attempt to read Obama's attitude, it's a little too close to telepathy, which is a power I have not been blessed with.