Is It Possible to Discuss Issues with the Left?

[the iron horse]

Is It Possible to Discuss Issues with the Left?

Is it possible to discuss issues with a person on the left. I am using the term LEFT not a LIBERAL. For example, President John Kennedy was a liberal, but he was not on the left.

To start, here is a commentary of the song and the band performing live:

The song takes a look at those who vehemently criticize the government, and questions whether the alternatives they propose (if they actually have any) are truly any better than what they are criticizing. This especially rings true about the 60's "revolutionary" period, but can still ring true with some people today (think: those politically-active activist college students you know/knew and who are always going to rallies and protests, who apparently think that the government can do no right, and honestly think that they hold all the answers to their society's problems).

It seems like John is acknowledging that the world no doubt has a lot of problems, and that there is always some need for change and progress to fix them. And it's okay to be passionate about such things, as long as you maintain perspective and stay true to what you preach (i.e. actually living up to your stated ideals of peace, nonviolence, tolerance, open-mindedness, etc.) But when you become radical and intolerant, and begin advocating violence as a solution, then you become just as bad as the system you're protesting again.

What's more, if you become radical, you're also a hypocrite. Protestors preach the virtues of love and harmony, and then go on to advocate violence against their fellow man (those in the government). They speak highly of peace and freedom, and then go on to fly the banners of murderous, totalitarian tyrants like Mao Zedong or Che Guevara. How do such contradictions make any sense? They don't.

As soon as you let your righteous indignation over legitimate grievances degenerate into blind hatred of your opponents, you lose all credibility. A "revolution" driven by such a mentality does not improve society, as it was supposedly intended to do. It simply replaces one tyranny with another.

~ The Seeker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGLGzRXY5Bw

[Diemen]

Flying banners of Mao Zedong and Che Guevara? That's who you think the left is?

It would be nice if your picture of "the left" wasn't based on lazy stereotypes.

And given your (well-documented) history of not engaging in discussion here, a critique of other people's predisposition to dialogue seems odd.

[anitram]

I think if I rolled my eyes any further back they'd surely fall out of my head.

Iron Horse, perhaps if you are finding other people, of whatever persuasion you'd like to label them, unwilling to participate in discussion with you, it may be worthwhile to consider whether it's you and not them. Speck in your own eye first and all that.

[BEAL]

Ditto

A discussion is a two way street. Not a drive by stereotype, vague, or just plain inaccurate statements. All of which gets discussed by people here, only to never hear from you again.

[DaveC]

i have nothing productive to add to this discussion, except to point out the best part of the revolution video at 0:11 when george clearly yells "JOHN'S MIC IS SHIT!!" at paul.

[BVS]

Have you ever counted how many times you've typed "I'll respond later"(in here and facebook) only to never be seen again? I guarantee you the number is in the hundreds.

[cobl04]

Classic tactic of the 'reasonable right', drop a smoke bomb of a post when you have absolutely no intention whatsoever of having a discussion.

[Vlad n U 2]

Nobody wants to play your stupid game.

[Kieran McConville]

I do! I want to play his stupid game.









ok, I don't really.

[kabigon]

Let's play hungry hungry hippos

[Kieran McConville]

Let's pick up sticks


Ok, I got nothing.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Sure.

What would you like to discuss?

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by Headache in a Suitcase

Sure.

What would you like to discuss?

I would like to discuss how I can't discuss things with you. Do you realize that's your fault?

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Originally Posted by Irvine511

I would like to discuss how I can't discuss things with you. Do you realize that's your fault?

[IWasBored]

Why is this thread still open, don't we already have a thread where IH talks to himself?

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Nah - let's leave it open.

I'd be happy to discuss issues with IH... problem, or course, is that rather than engage, he drops posts like these and then disappears.

So come on... let's go. What would you like to discuss?

https://youtu.be/Z0YIJQ1jgEI

[Headache in a Suitcase]

No? Nothing?

Thought so.

[KhanadaRhodes]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

Is It Possible to Discuss Issues with the Left?

no