Politics: Where we struggle to kneel in the muck.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by ThurgreedMarshall
Wow. I think something happened to you from you first started posting on these boards. Maybe you hit your head on a rock while kayaking one too many times. But you used to actually use your brain. Remember that?

I ignored SD's post because he's been pretty consistent since he started posting.

But are you actually suggesting that the measure of intelligence is how much money you have?

TM

FOR THE RECORD, that is not MY point. Thats my point twisted a bit. My point was just that the greatest measure of intelligence is succeeding in whatever endeavor you're in. If you choose academia, than it is being the objectively smartest. If you choose politics, its being the guy with the most votes. If you choose politics, but focus on being smartest instead of amassing the most votes, you're not very smart.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by dtb
One quote I read said that Bush has been on vacation (at the Crawford ranch or at Camp David, probably) for "44% of his Presidency". I'm not sure if that's right -- it couldn't possibly be -- but then again...

I'll keep looking.

He is ENTERTAINING important HEADS of STATE. Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
It's good to see you over on this board, but you need to understand the way a few things work. When Bilmore has lost an argument, he either posts a truly lame joke about it or he posts saying he never meant what he said to begin with (generally suggesting anyone who argued with him is some kind of a tool for think he ever COULD have meant it). When Hank loses an argument, he posts claiming victory. When Les or Slave lose an argument, they tell the victor to go fuck themselves. Club either slinks away in disgust or hits on Fringie.

Funny, I always think of "I Am Sam" when I read your posts. I really WANT you to do well, and be happy, and succeed, but deep down, I wonder if I'm being realistic.

[SlaveNoMore]

Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
When Hank loses an argument, he posts claiming victory. When Les or Slave lose an argument, they tell the victor to go fuck themselves. Club either slinks away in disgust or hits on Fringie.

When G-3 posts something, almost everyone scrolls.

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
This is all nice and good, except for the irrefutable fact that (1) Cheney actually shows up for his job and (2) Kerry and Edwards don't.

Why are either of those irrefutable? As to (1), if I recall correctly, according to the Constitution the VP's only job is to preside over the Senate. Cheney claims to do that on "most" Tuesdays, a claim which is not actually born out by the record. WTF does he do all day?*

As to (2), see my last post.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS...ry.senate.vote/


*I recognize that Cheney is actually spending his days running the country on behalf of the puppet President. But I think the truth here hurts more than the rhetorical argument I am engaging in.

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by bilmore
No, I mean that the measure of success in our society is wealth, and there are a lot of very smart academics who really resent the fact that they are not valued higher than people who are, in their minds, dumber than them. There's a resentment that their own perceived intellectual gifts don't translate into that monetary measure of success - that our society fails to reward the right factors.

So that's why "the left" hates the rich. Gotcha.

I didn't listen to the egghead profs much even when they actually had the power of grades hanging over me. I cannot fathom why you think the rest of us on the other side of the aisle are looking to them for leadership in our antipathy for your side. We can do that all on our own.

And wealth is a measure of success in our society, not the measure. I will go to my unmarked grave outside of debtor's prison believing that.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
So that's why "the left" hates the rich. Gotcha.

Point taken. "One part of the left, specifically the intelligentsia."

And wealth is a measure of success in our society, not the measure. I will go to my unmarked grave outside of debtor's prison believing that.

Move over, then. Were I ever to submit to some religious belief, it would have to be Reverse Calvinism.

[SlaveNoMore]

baltassoc
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS...ry.senate.vote/

Kerry claims that this one (1) vote was rescheduled.

a) Why would I believe him, and
b) How does this explain all the other votes, or - just as important - the missed intelligence briefings?

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by bilmore
No, I mean that the measure of success in our society is wealth, and there are a lot of very smart academics who really resent the fact that they are not valued higher than people who are, in their minds, dumber than them. There's a resentment that their own perceived intellectual gifts don't translate into that monetary measure of success - that our society fails to reward the right factors.

You're totally correct about the leftist resentment. Its very prevalent in this industry. "But I was law review... why am I getting canned?" We're in a false meritocracy that creates a whole lotta people who are smart in some compartmentalized arena, but they lack the whole package. The left is chock full of these people - long on theory, short on action. "getting the dough" requires that extra bit of energy the left doesn't want to expend. The lefties are always the kids who'll tell you in a heartbeat that they don't want to shmooze anyone. That's "below them". They're smarter than that. But how smart is someone who doesn't recognize that perpsnal relationships are one of the most important things in one's career? The left seems to believe, because they're wrongly trained by teachers who harbor strong resnetments, that intelligence in the strictest book-derived organizational diligence form is a rare currency which ought to collect a premium. How soon they learn otherwise. Did they really think that there weren't 10 other equally smart people out there selling the same skill set? These lefties then get jaded and develop a hatred for the people who succeed by hustling or working personal networks. They deride self-promoters as showboats. They become threatened judgmental people, and as techincally smart as they may be, they are not palatable to 70% of people. No one wants them around. The left is isolated, and unless higher education starts focusing more on how to give these kids complete skill sets needed for careers, rather than mere theoretical knowledge, there are going to be a lot more of these angry people around bitching about how they have to work for people like Clinton or Bush.

[dtb]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
You're totally correct about the leftist resentment. Its very prevalent in this industry. "But I was law review... why am I getting canned?" We're in a false meritocracy that creates a whole lotta people who are smart in some compartmentalized arena, but they lack the whole package. The left is chock full of these people - long on theory, short on action. "getting the dough" requires that extra bit of energy the left doesn't want to expend. The lefties are always the kids who'll tell you in a heartbeat that they don't want to shmooze anyone. That's "below them". They're smarter than that. But how smart is someone who doesn't recognize that perpsnal relationships are one of the most important things in one's career? The left seems to believe, because they're wrongly trained by teachers who harbor strong resnetments, that intelligence in the strictest book-derived organizational diligence form is a rare currency which ought to collect a premium. How soon they learn otherwise. Did they really think that there weren't 10 other equally smart people out there selling the same skill set? These lefties then get jaded and develop a hatred for the people who succeed by hustling or working personal networks. They deride self-promoters as showboats. They become threatened judgmental people, and as techincally smart as they may be, they are not platable to 70% of people. No one wants them around. The left is isolated, and unless higher education starts focusing more on hos wot gove these kids complete skill stes needed for careers, rather than mere theoretical knowledge, there are going to be a lot more of these angry people around bitching about how they have to work for people like Clinton or Bush.

This is especially stark in the financial world -- where some dude who barely finished high school and cannot write a simple declarative sentence makes more money in one year than I will probably make in 15. Remind me why I went to college...? (I recognize that's not really a question, for those of you who are dying to point out my mistaken use of the question mark; I put it there to indicate the upward tone inflection at the end of the sentence.)

[The Larry Davis Experience]

Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
You're totally correct about the leftist resentment. Its very prevalent in this industry. "But I was law review... why am I getting canned?" We're in a false meritocracy that creates a whole lotta people who are smart in some compartmentalized arena, but they lack the whole package. The left is chock full of these people - long on theory, short on action. "getting the dough" requires that extra bit of energy the left doesn't want to expend. The lefties are always the kids who'll tell you in a heartbeat that they don't want to shmooze anyone. That's "below them". They're smarter than that. But how smart is someone who doesn't recognize that perpsnal relationships are one of the most important things in one's career? The left seems to believe, because they're wrongly trained by teachers who harbor strong resnetments, that intelligence in the strictest book-derived organizational diligence form is a rare currency which ought to collect a premium. How soon they learn otherwise. Did they really think that there weren't 10 other equally smart people out there selling the same skill set? These lefties then get jaded and develop a hatred for the people who succeed by hustling or working personal networks. They deride self-promoters as showboats. They become threatened judgmental people, and as techincally smart as they may be, they are not palatable to 70% of people. No one wants them around. The left is isolated, and unless higher education starts focusing more on how to give these kids complete skill sets needed for careers, rather than mere theoretical knowledge, there are going to be a lot more of these angry people around bitching about how they have to work for people like Clinton or Bush.

You're sick of other people being smarter than you. We get it.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by bilmore
You've actually hit exactly on the reason for the left's antipathy to the rich, too.

Actually we're rich as hell, and we don't even try. It's like gravy to us. But keep striving!!

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
If checking the box next to Kerry actually registers a vote for Bush, then it is slick Republican bullshit trying to get in under cover of D paranoia.

So what you're admitting is the people who are voting for Bush are all smart enough to realize something is wrong with the ballot, and we only need worry about the Kerry voters? I think we could agree on this.

[Shape Shifter]

Originally posted by bilmore
You've actually hit exactly on the reason for the left's antipathy to the rich, too.

I thought they were for Kerry.

[bilmore]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
I thought they were for Kerry.

Doesn't count. Never having made much money at all himself, he gets a sort of honorary underachiever status.