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I was wrong - and that makes me angry.

What Menschenbild (picture of man) is correct?

  • People are more evil than stupid.

    Votes: 1 3.7%
  • People are more stupid than evil.

    Votes: 26 96.3%

  • Total voters
    27

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I think that’s why a part of me is more comfortable with old Donny on top rather than a regular politician. I suppose most politicians on top are sociopaths (they run the American war machine with a smile) and I don’t understand them. They are fake and people buy into the smiles. But Trump is an open book. He is wacky… like me! When people say that others vote for Trump because he resonates with them, I mean, duh? The part of me that was tempted to vote for Trump was a part of me that was comfortable with having a wacky mad lad up top.

I'm reminded of the tagline from the movie "Caddyshack." It's the "slobs vs. the snobs." Most people seem to identify with and relate to "slobs" more than "snobs," even though both might be viewed as negative connotations.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
What do you think?
The books Anti-Intellectualism in American life by Richard Hofstadter and the Chaos Machine by Max Fisher explain things well.
Americans are not raised and educated to think or be that smart, basically educated just enough to fill entry level pushing buttons. Amd its been going on for a long time, so long that even Thomas Jefferson faced accusations of being too smart, well read and philosophical to be President.
Add these problems to the manipulative social media algorithms that have proven terribly disruptive, destructive and deadly to society at large by promoting hate and misinformation that generates clicks by generating outrage and can see how America, even at its best is a Ship of Fools.
Evolution denial, toxic and bad theology (not limited or confined to Christianity, but even neo-Pagan books and publishers are prone to bad science and grossly wrong claims about history) and a general disdain for intelligence, intelligent people and putting in the work to get there (I've been told all the philosophy will inevitably drive me mad, mirroring the nonsense belief that intelligence inherently comes with madness) amd it's easy to see why this happened, especially once we add in Evangelical male entitlement (which is being severely inflamed by social media). It also covers why people erroneously believe crime is soaring and the economy in shambles.
 

Quagmire

Imaginary talking monkey
Staff member
Premium Member
I know that people are lazy, fearful and dumb, but I believe that most people are good, most of the time.
Are they
Of course we would have to define what good means in this context.

If we go with a propensity for putting other people's needs ahead of (or at least on par with) your own than I would say that everybody is 'good' as far as it goes:

-- Most people are willing to make sacrifices for their families.

---To a lesser extent most people are willing to make sacrifices for their friends.

--- Some people are willing to make sacrifices for their community.

--- A few people are willing to make sacrifices for an ideal.

But even the most saintly among us have to wrestle with self-interest, and most of us aren't saints.

This last election the economy and the border were the two most pressing issues for most American voters, and there was a wide perception even among a lot of Democrats that we would all be better off on both fronts with Trump in the office.
 
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Mock Turtle

Trump: The USA Brexit!
Premium Member
I don't speak Russian - but I also don't speak gibberish, only that gibberish is too close to English to be comfortable. Trumps habit of never ending a sentence breaks my brain. I prefer summaries from third parties.
I can't stand his childish rhetoric - the beautiful this, the beautiful that, the nasty this, the nasty that, etc., the black-and-white options, and it seems to me that he is almost giving his audience permission to think childishly too (or basically rather than seeing other issues as well) - these are simple issues, your welfare (the economy), nasty immigrants (your jobs), and forget about anything else that might be relevant - especially such as trusting this guy who seems to have so much wrong and/or nasty as to his character. From what I can remember, most previous American politicians didn't resort to such silly rhetoric.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
Of course we would have to define what good means in this context.
I intentionally didn't do that, as this is not a philosophical debate. In a philosophical debate, I'd repeat what I have often said and what is a basic of moral philosophy, that people are neither good, nor bad, only actions are moral, amoral or immoral.
In this context, "good" people are those who are generally friendly, open, and less selfish. I don't see much good in MAGA or their supporters.
But on the other hand, stupid people are those who don't see reality and are incapable to compute consequences.
So, it's hard to decide what's the main factor here.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
I intentionally didn't do that, as this is not a philosophical debate. In a philosophical debate, I'd repeat what I have often said and what is a basic of moral philosophy, that people are neither good, nor bad, only actions are moral, amoral or immoral.
In this context, "good" people are those who are generally friendly, open, and less selfish. I don't see much good in MAGA or their supporters.
But on the other hand, stupid people are those who don't see reality and are incapable to compute consequences.
So, it's hard to decide what's the main factor here.
But you didn't explain why you think the MAGA people are not good.
;)
 

It Aint Necessarily So

Veteran Member
Premium Member
But you didn't explain why you think the MAGA people are not good.
;)
Sure he did. He defined good people as, "friendly, open, and less selfish." That excludes MAGA.

Do you need to hear again what decent, mindful people think of MAGA? They're morally defective by humanist standards.

Were you hoping that that the contempt for MAGA and its adherents would diminish with Trump's win - that that would legitimize or normalize him in the eyes of good people or make his supporters seem less damaged to them? I don't see that happening. In fact, in my opinion, as the consequences of their electing that monster gradually manifest, you will find fewer and fewer admitting that they voted for him.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Sure he did. He defined good people as, "friendly, open, and less selfish." That excludes MAGA.

Do you need to hear again what decent, mindful people think of MAGA? They're morally defective by humanist standards.

Were you hoping that that the contempt for MAGA and its adherents would diminish with Trump's win - that that would legitimize or normalize him in the eyes of good people or make his supporters seem less damaged to them? I don't see that happening. In fact, in my opinion, as the consequences of their electing that monster gradually manifest, you will find fewer and fewer admitting that they voted for him.
Honestly...I don't consider the people who vote for the Left bad people, in my country.
I am for all the people. The commoners.
Our common enemies are the banking élites, so I focus on them. :)
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
Honestly...I don't consider the people who vote for the Left bad people, in my country.
I am for all the people. The commoners.
Our common enemies are the banking élites, so I focus on them. :)
Yep. It seems the banking elite doesn't want Trump to crash the economy, thus thwarting my hope that the US influence on the world will be reduced to a reasonable size.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Yep. It seems the banking elite doesn't want Trump to crash the economy,
Wrong.
The banking élite doesn't want Trump to stop them from mismanaging the economy.
They only care about gaining their billions, without which they would stop breathing. It's their oxygen.
 
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Heyo

Veteran Member
Wrong.
The banking élite doesn't want Trump to stop them from mismanaging the economy.
They only care about gaining their billions, without which they would stop breathing. It's their oxygen.
Of course. When Trump crashes the economy, the banks suffer. If you want the banks to suffer, you should be for Trump and his economic plans.
Wait ...
 
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