Was Voltaire right? A reflection on January 6

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I was listening to Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) reflecting on his work on the January 6 Committee, and something he said struck me as quite astute.

He was talking about the fact that after the 2020 election so many efforts were made to get judges (many appointed by Trump himself) to throw out results base on "fraud" -- all totally without any evidence whatsoever, and all summarily tossed out of court --and yet, Trump and his enablers seem to have managed to convince a very large number of Republicans that the November election was faked and January 6 was necessary. Raskin mentioned that "maybe Voltair was right."

What Voltaire said is that "anyone wbo can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." And in this case, given that there is STILL no evidence for election fraud, but that election fraud is STILL the rallying cry for millions -- it's a palpable absurdity. And believing it made a lot of people commit an atrocity on January 6 -- and a lot more people to continue to condone that atrocity right up until this very day.

While we're at it -- how do you "deprogram" millions of conspiracy-deluded people at once? Seems like an impossible task, to me.

 

[metis]

While we're at it -- how do you "deprogram" millions of conspiracy-deluded people at once? Seems like an impossible task, to me.

I think some may be swayed by more information, but I agree there's always likely to be a significant number whereas facts make little to no difference. But I do see at least a couple here at RF who have "downgraded" their allegiance to Trump, so there is hope.

 

[Revoltingest]

I was listening to Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) reflecting on his work on the January 6 Committee, and something he said struck me as quite astute.

He was talking about the fact that after the 2020 election so many efforts were made to get judges (many appointed by Trump himself) to throw out results base on "fraud" -- all totally without any evidence whatsoever, and all summarily tossed out of court --and yet, Trump and his enablers seem to have managed to convince a very large number of Republicans that the November election was faked and January 6 was necessary. Raskin mentioned that "maybe Voltair was right."

What Voltaire said is that "anyone wbo can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." And in this case, given that there is STILL no evidence for election fraud, but that election fraud is STILL the rallying cry for millions -- it's a palpable absurdity. And believing it made a lot of people commit an atrocity on January 6 -- and a lot more people to continue to condone that atrocity right up until this very day.

While we're at it -- how do you "deprogram" millions of conspiracy-deluded people at once? Seems like an impossible task, to me.

Voltaire figured the same thing major
religions figured out millennia ago.
But Candide is more fun than scripture.
"It's a lovely day for drinking & for watching people die!"

 

[Quintessence]

Facts have never mattered more than their interpretation when it comes to predicting an animal's behavior. Such it was and will always be given the limitations of animals. It's not something you fix without fundamentally and drastically altering the nature of animals. Consider very carefully what that would entail, and what that would mean.

 

[Valjean]

I think some may be swayed by more information, but I agree there's always likely to be a significant number whereas facts make little to no difference. But I do see at least a couple here at RF who have "downgraded" their allegiance to Trump, so there is hope.

But we do have the best of all possible worlds, don't we?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

But we do have the best of all possible worlds, don't we?

Do we? While the Taliban crack down even harder on women and girls getting an education in Afghanistan?

This, to me, is simply another one of those absurdities that allow the infliction of atrocities: all thoe Muslim men for whom nothing is more frightening than a female with a book! There is no treatment for minds like those. They are lost to humanity.

 

[Valjean]

Do we? While the Taliban crack down even harder on women and girls getting an education in Afghanistan?

This, to me, is simply another one of those absurdities that allow the infliction of atrocities: all thoe Muslim men for whom nothing is more frightening than a female with a book! There is no treatment for minds like those. They are lost to humanity.

I was being facetious, actually; paraphrasing Dr Pangloss, From Candide.
Pangloss | fictional character

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

I was being facetious, actually; paraphrasing Dr Pangloss, From Candide.
Pangloss | fictional character

Sorry, I knew. Old Candide hand myself, and loved Bernstein's version.

I just get so preachy sometimes, don't I?

 

[Revoltingest]

I was being facetious, actually; paraphrasing Dr Pangloss, From Candide.
Pangloss | fictional character

My favorite performance from it...

 

[Revoltingest]

She's no Barbara Cook or Kristen Chenoweth,
but if Voltaire were still around....

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

My favorite performance from it...

Chenoweth is just about the best Cunegonde ever! Loved her!

 

[Revoltingest]

Chenoweth is just about the best Cunegonde ever! Loved her!

Barbara Cook is as enjoyable, just
a less over-the-top-3-Stooges style.
Your people sure know their show tunes!

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Your people sure know their show tunes!

Hallmark of being gay, I'm afraid. Being a bit "theatrical" is easiest with musicals. I used to bowl for a gay "Judy Garland Memorial Bowling league", Andrew Rannells (of The Book of Mormon) is an example (you should see him do the Patti Lupone piece from The Baker's Wife called The Meadolark.

By the way, Meadowlark is a wonderful song, and really well-constructed. Patti Lupon was excellent, but Liz Callaway was pretty darn fine, too.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

Your people sure know their show tunes!

Just a thought, though ---- is it just my people? You seem to know them pretty well, yourself?

You don't, I'm hoping, "take a wide stance" as a Republican congressman once claimed?

 

[Revoltingest]

Just a thought, though ---- is it just my people? You seem to know them pretty well, yourself?

You don't, I'm hoping, "take a wide stance" as a Republican congressman once claimed?

My ignorance of things musical would be hidden beneath the giant shadow you cast.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

My ignorance of things musical would be hidden in your giant shadow.

Here's a little introduction, then, to me. I play the piano, every day. Most of what I play is classical (Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy, Satie, the American Louis Moreau Gottschalk, others). But I've been a theatre goer for well over 50 years now, with very few years seeing fewer than a dozen shows -- so you can see how that adds up. I've performed on stage myself (not good enough to really ever make the big time, sorry). I am a huge lover of music, poetry, theatre (not movies so much). So, yes, I do have some knowledge of things musical and theatrical.

And as a sideline, I've memorized several thousands of lines of Shakespeare, from all of the plays, many of the Sonnets, and two of the poems.

More of a hobby than anything, really.

 

[Revoltingest]

Here's a little introduction, then, to me. I play the piano, every day. Most of what I play is classical (Beethoven, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy, Satie, the American Louis Moreau Gottschalk, others). But I've been a theatre goer for well over 50 years now, with very few years seeing fewer than a dozen shows -- so you can see how that adds up. I've performed on stage myself (not good enough to really ever make the big time, sorry). I am a huge lover of music, poetry, theatre (not movies so much). So, yes, I do have some knowledge of things musical and theatrical.

And as a sideline, I've memorized several thousands of lines of Shakespeare, from all of the plays, many of the Sonnets, and two of the poems.

More of a hobby than anything, really.

I never played any musical instrument.
I have no music education.
I don't perform anything.
I hate poetry.
But I have memorized several limericks.
I've even composed a few.

 

[Wildswanderer]

And in this case, given that there is STILL no evidence for election fraud,

On the contrary it's not even being hidden. Everyone knows that the internet was deliberately manipulated to exclude information about Biden's son which would have changed the outcome of the election.

 

[Revoltingest]

On the contrary it's not even being hidden. Everyone knows that the internet was deliberately manipulated to exclude information about Biden's son which would have changed the outcome of the election.

This is one of those posts where I
want to give a <funny> frubal, but
I'm not sure enuf of the intent.

 

[Valjean]

Hey! Straight people can enjoy opera and show tunes, too, ya know.