The Humour in Left vs Right

[Group9]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Biggest Revelations Of The Inspector General’s Report On The Russia Investigation
➥ https://politics.theonion.com/bigges...t-o-1840365828

I'm a former FBI agent, and one of the things they drummed into us in 1988 when I went through Quantico, was that if you cared about your career, you would remain scrupulously apolitical, (and god help, those who tried to get some type of career promotion or assignment through political connections).

Those who did, would be marked agents, and a "political" notation would be placed in your personnel file, and you would be basically isolated from any chance of upward mobility.

Obviously, things have changed a little since I left.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by MuffinMan

I think a bigger thing we encounter a lot here is that the left are the cry babies who cant talk so most people dont engage them.

I haven't noticed that being the case. I see folks on both sides who apparently can't reason, maybe can't talk, resort to name-calling, demonize anyone who disagrees, etc.

-Chris

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

The idea that human brains (or any other species’ brains) are naturally endowed with the ability to know what is right and wrong is a fallacy. Morality and ethics must be learned because they are not inherently present at birth. This is even encoded into our laws such that the very young are not accountable for their actions because they may have not yet learned right from wrong.

I disagree, there are many, many examples of and I may be misusing this word, but racial memory. Example most of the time Mother animals don’t eat their young, and just about any land animal, having never even once experienced one, is afraid of a snake.
Monkeys raised by humans from birth still act like monkeys, and a wolf raised by dogs from birth still acts like a wolf and not a dog.

Then to continue the discussion many if not most serial murderers are raised by normal people in normal circumstances, and many children holocaust survivors became normal functioning adults.
Some truly evil people really were born that way as were some truly mean dogs.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

I haven't noticed that being the case. I see folks on both sides who apparently can't reason, maybe can't talk, resort to name-calling, demonize anyone who disagrees, etc.

-Chris

There is that.


But it has also been pointed out to me that the left and right now don't just disagree, they don't have the same issues. One side wants to talk about health care, the other about stopping illegal immigration. Neither is interested in the other issue at all. They won't talk to the about the other's issues because they don't see them as issues at all, just noise.

[GordMay]

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

... most of the time Mother animals don’t eat their young, and just about any land animal, having never even once experienced one, is afraid of a snake...

Our psychological evolution is too slow, for the modern (past 10,000 years) world.
Like all animals, humans have instincts, genetically hard-wired behaviors that enhanced our ability to cope with vital environmental contingencies. We possess many instincts, that were adaptive, during most of human history (actually pre-history), when we lived off the land, as hunter-gatherers, and took refuge in simple shelters, like caves.
People develop phobias for spiders, and snakes, and things that were ancestral threats.
However, it's very infrequent to have somebody afraid of cars, or electrical outlets, both, more contemporary threats.

[hpeer]

Some issues have become so politically polarized that they are impossible to discuss.

Recently I’ve been attempting a new tactic which is to engage on issues that are related but that have not been politicized as of yet.

Almost everyone agrees that it is bad to pollute our waters with plastic and that excessive draw down of fossil water resources is dangerous. Both sides will largely agree on these issues. Then I point out that excess consumption hits both issues (and others) hard. Then you can reach some wider consensus that we should really try to be less wasteful of our resources. And that by endlessly increasing our population will ruin our agriculture we should be more cautious with immigration.

It works, sometimes.

[hpeer]

Here’s a list of 10 silly laws. I’m quoting #10 only.

curlicue

10. United States

There are more senseless and outdated laws in the US than in every other country I have researched. Google it. It is ridiculous. But speaking as a local and resident, the law that drove me the most crazy for most of my life is the drinking age. In America you can vote, buy tobacco, buy porn, drive, run for office, and join the military at 18 or earlier. But buy yourself a beer? Nope! Establishments (and their employees) caught breaking the law are hit with tough punishments. Traveling to America and under 21? Make a copy of your older sister’s passport to use.

https://www.travelettes.net/dont-pee-in-the-ocean/

And USA specific:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.goo...zy-state-laws/

[GordMay]

It is strictly prohibited to pronounce “Arkansas” incorrectly.
Per the state Code*, the only acceptable pronunciation is “in three (3) syllables, with the final "s" silent, the "a" in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables. The pronunciation with the accent on the second syllable with the sound of "a" in "man" and the sounding of the terminal "s" is an innovation to be discouraged."
*➥ https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansa...pter-4/1-4-105

Natives are called Arkansans, (emphasis on middle syllable). Interestingly, Arkansas City in Kansas has an audible final “s”.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

The idea that human brains (or any other species’ brains) are naturally endowed with the ability to know what is right and wrong is a fallacy. Morality and ethics must be learned because they are not inherently present at birth. This is even encoded into our laws such that the very young are not accountable for their actions because they may have not yet learned right from wrong.

I also have to disagree a bit here.

You're right that we aren't born with a knowledge of right and wrong, but we are programmed for sociability. Babies and infants try hard to engage with those around them - looks, smiles, vocalizations (and of course crying and tantrums to put their wants and viewpoints across ). There's also a certain amount of empathy 'programmed' in - the ability to recognize what someone else might be feeling.

Yes many sets of rules are taught, but the most important lessons lead up to the ability to make ethical judgements - to weigh all the impacts of an action, to balance self-interest with the interests of other affected parties. It's not just following taught rules. As we know, there are many possible actions that although legal, most would consider unethical, and vice versa.

[skipmac]

Not necessarily comparing right vs left but a few quotes from Will Rogers seem to be appropriate for the thread.




I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.

"Democrats never agree on anything, that's why they're Democrats. If they agreed with each other, they'd be Republicans."

And my favorite.


"The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel."

All the Democrats have to do is promise "what they would do if they got in." But the Republicans have to promise "what they would do" and then explain why they haven't already "done it."

"America has the best politicians money can buy."

Referring to Congress "Every time a bill comes up they have things to decide that have nothing to do with the merit of the bill. The principal thing is of course: What will this do for me personally back home?"

And my favorite.


"The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel."

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

The idea that human brains (or any other species’ brains) are naturally endowed with the ability to know what is right and wrong is a fallacy. Morality and ethics must be learned because they are not inherently present at birth. This is even encoded into our laws such that the very young are not accountable for their actions because they may have not yet learned right from wrong.

Actually, research suggests you are wrong Dan. Even from a very early age children have some sense of right and wrong.

https://www.psychologicalscience.org...19-months.html

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2010-...ng-months.html

The whole 'born with a blank slate' has pretty much been abandoned by psychology and human development science. Not saying (at all) that socialization isn't a huge factor in our development. But nor is it true that we are born devoid of what we'd call ethics or morality.

[sailorboy1]

I bet the majority of democrats and republicans don't even know the real differences between the parties. All they really are latched onto is a buzz word position and that is all that matters to them. Unfortunately those in office are probably the same now days and explains why the results are so poor.

As Ben said - you may not get the government you want, but you will get the one you deserve.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by bill352

And a liberal is a conservative who's been arrested.

aren't most of them ..... eventually

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Actually, research suggests you are wrong Dan. Even from a very early age children have some sense of right and wrong.

https://www.psychologicalscience.org...19-months.html

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2010-...ng-months.html

The whole 'born with a blank slate' has pretty much been abandoned by psychology and human development science. Not saying (at all) that socialization isn't a huge factor in our development. But nor is it true that we are born devoid of what we'd call ethics or morality.

My first son was a gem. easiest kid on the planet to get along with. never a single problem. We thought ... Hey we are pretty good at this let's have another.

Second boy had locks on his bedroom door and bars on his window before his second birthday.

I'm convinced they come out as a pre-packaged entity and if you are lucky you may be able to influence their table manners.