Greetings Good Posters. Anybody up for Civl Discourse of Politics?

Hello UnkaRitche,

PoliTalker said:
Hello and goodbye coolzone,

You can call me anything you want, one time. That is my queue to place you on permanent Ignore.

I've made it quite clear I prefer to filter out rude posters, in order to create a refined experience here.

The civil approach totally works. I am enjoying very cordial and cerebral discussions here with some excellent minds. Great discussions. I have zero problem participating in high quality discussions because there are so many people who are able to express themselves bereft of invective. It's a common decency thing.

This approach also works well with socks. You are free to go create another personality and try again. But your new sock only gets one chance to tell me off. Then it, too, will be placed on Ignore. We can play that game as many times as you like. Doesn't matter to me whether some new handle which comes and insults me is the same person or a new one. The response will be the same.

I have found in life that people who use a lot of expletives and insults are not very happy, but those who find no need of such stress are.

The secret of life is enjoying time.

You only have so much time to be alive, so it is logical to seek to enjoy as much of it as possible.

I derive no pleasure from making others feel bad, which is the point of insults. That strikes me as a deplorable sort of pleasure, because it always has to come at someone else's expense. I don't need to make others feel poorly in order for me to be happy. I view that as a shallow and false happiness. Fleeting, for sure. And there is an inner guilt associated with it which must be ignored in order to pretend one is of clear conscience. That is going to cause subconscious stress, whether the individual admits it or not. Almost as if, in order to disrespect someone else, one must first disrespect oneself.

I just don't see the point of inviting that stress into one's life. There will be plenty, despite whatever attempt is made to minimize it. I just don't want to play that game. I enjoy being informed, talking about things that matter, learning what I can do to improve my country. Making America great, one life at a time, one moment at a time.

Putin wants us to be unhappy, angry at one another, hopelessly polarized, unable to unite or get anything meaningful done. So far, he is getting his way.

What we Americans need to do is believe that we are better than that. We need to believe that we can respect one another, that we can be more united, that we can listen to one another even if we disagree. We need to remind ourselves that we determine the course of our nation, we set the bar for what America looks like on the world stage. Not Putin. We do.

We need to guide our nation forward, show the world what we are made of.

I am leading by example. I believe my method is more noble than yours.

My words are not diminished by insults. Instead, they stand out: because of them. My words thus carry more weight than yours. My positions are based on facts, logic and compassion. They show that civility can be maintained even among loyal Americans who disagree. We can disagree and still be united. Too bad you blew it and we can't have any further discussion about this.

Have a nice life.
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UnkaRitche said:
Sorry. I would do anything for love but I can't do that. I'm a full blown attention whore and rwnut stalker/trawler/troller.
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I understand. The transcendence above tit for tat is daunting.

But I would say it is well worthwhile.

I think I am correct about this because I have done it both ways.

Long ago and far away on a different board I once mixed it up with anybody at any level. I had some of the most vile things to say about President George W Bush. I could not stand that man. I unloaded on anyone who would defend him.

A rather remarkable conservative poster took me aside and told me my words would be more effective if I dropped the mean streak and simply focused on the issues.

His words struck me.

I decided to try it.

I think he was right.

Since I don't get into the personal stuff I am forced to put more effort into my posts, do more research, learn more. I am better informed, and better able to argue issues. I now feel like if I were to go back to the shallow name-calling insult contests that I would be lowering myself to President Trump's level. I couldn't respect myself if I did that.

You don't sound like you are ready for that kind of transcendence.

You like music, so do I.

Here is a powerful song that comes to mind:

 
PoliTalker said:
Hello UnkaRitche,





I understand. The transcendence above tit for tat is daunting.

But I would say it is well worthwhile.

I think I am correct about this because I have done it both ways.

Long ago and far away on a different board I once mixed it up with anybody at any level. I had some of the most vile things to say about President George W Bush. I could not stand that man. I unloaded on anyone who would defend him.

A rather remarkable conservative poster took me aside and told me my words would be more effective if I dropped the mean streak and simply focused on the issues.

His words struck me.

I decided to try it.

I think he was right.

Since I don't get into the personal stuff I am forced to put more effort into my posts, do more research, learn more. I am better informed, and better able to argue issues. I now feel like if I were to go back to the shallow name-calling insult contests that I would be lowering myself to President Trump's level. I couldn't respect myself if I did that.

You don't sound like you are ready for that kind of transcendence.

You like music, so do I.

Here is a powerful song that comes to mind:

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cool beans. love the dixie chicks. I remember when they were demonized by the rwnuts.:)
 
UnkaRitche,

UnkaRitche said:
cool beans. love the dixie chicks. I remember when they were demonized by the rwnuts.:)
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I like Star Trek, too.

The Dixie Chicks are still quite popular. Conservative country fans tried to kill their stardom but were unable to do that. The Dixie Chicks are just too well liked, and their music resonates with too many people.

The Dixie Chicks just completed a world tour in 2016, including many shows in the USA.

Rough estimate is that they earned over $45 million in USA shows alone.

Wikipedia: DCX MMXVI World Tour
 
Hello Threedee,

Threedee said:
FYI, this is what everyone on JPP thinks of civil debate:

https://www.justplainpolitics.com/showthread.php?94270-change-name-of-APP
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No, I'm not seeing that. Everyone? No. Several? Yes.

It's funny how many people have tried to tell me that nobody is civil here, but I keep managing to have lots of civil discussions every time I visit. Actually, even after filtering out everybody who has flamed on me, there is still way more than I can keep up with here.

I really enjoy having conversations that talk about issues and don't get personal. It's fabulous. And I learn so much. I come here to talk about politics, not enter an insult-fest. Some seem to be so insecure in their beliefs that they have to personally attack others who do not share them. That's really kind of weird and ridiculous. Pretty immature. There sure are a lot of folks who could develop more wisdom out there. I have no control over them. I can do nothing for them except to set an example of how to intellectually discuss politics. I'm really glad and thankful for the many here who are able to leave the trash talk out of it to respectfully discuss ideas and events. If it were not for the good ones, I would not be here.
 
I Love America said:
Look at my new puppy following me around the board starved for my attention.
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Aren't you the right wing snowflake who bans everyone from your usually dumb threads? You conservative snowflakes are rather funny, when challenged you hide, when your nonsense is countered you run. Sad.

"One reason I'm such a wayward prognosticator of rightwing trends is that I'm incapable of blacking out enough neural sectors to see the world through reptilian-brained eyes, a prerequisite for any true channeling of the mean resentments and implanted fears that drive hardcore conservatives." James Wolcott
 
midcan5 said:
Aren't you the right wing snowflake who bans everyone from your usually dumb threads? You conservative snowflakes are rather funny, when challenged you hide, when your nonsense is countered you run. Sad.

"One reason I'm such a wayward prognosticator of rightwing trends is that I'm incapable of blacking out enough neural sectors to see the world through reptilian-brained eyes, a prerequisite for any true channeling of the mean resentments and implanted fears that drive hardcore conservatives." James Wolcott
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Pleased to meet you!
 
It is sad how many people want to use stereotypes.

"All conservatives are the same."

"All liberals are the same."

Baloney!

We are all individuals, no two alike.

Amazing how many forget that simple truth.

The beauty of this place is the diversity.

The beauty of America is the diversity.
 
There really is a lot of mindless drivel and pure hatred expressed on this board.

I made a conscious decision to rise above that garbage long ago.

I COULD mix it up with those who would take up my time arguing inane absurdities.

But WHY?

Why spend any time at all giving them attention?

Too many people are already doing that.

My philosophy is to use the given filters aggressively to cut through all of that and get to the real quality posts.

I want to read and interface with crucial thinkers.

I don't want to spend all day here going in circles.

I want to involve myself in material that challenges my intellect.

These pissing matches are for morons.

Flame wars are a sad addiction that people become afflicted with, and then it turns into a habit they can't extract themselves from.

Anybody who is totally immersed in that affliction would hardly know what to do with themselves if they were cut off.

The worst trolls, if they get banned from one site, they just go to another and start up all over again. It's a mental illness.

I'm staying above it.

And I invite anyone who is tired of that drivel to simply block it all out. Identify the trouble makers and place them on Ignore.

If all the good people here did that, the trolls would become marginalized. They would have no enablers, get no endorphin rush. They would be shut down.

This board is what we make it, people.

DON'T FEED THE TROLLS!

The less we reinforce them, the fewer of them we will have to wade through to get to QUALITY POSTS from RESPECTFUL PEOPLE.

Do yourself a favor.

Put a troll on Ignore today!

:)
 
Consider this:

An internet chat room is not a good representation of the non-cyber world. This place is NOT a microcosm of the real world. The proportions are inherently off.

Chat rooms have a greater proportion of annoying anti-social people, because most real world cultured gatherings of humans simply do not tolerate that kind of impersonal disagreeable behavior.

Internet trolls can only exist on the internet.

That means that when well adjusted people go to the internet to participate in chat rooms, they will encounter these annoying types of minds in greater numbers than face-to-face.

We are under no obligation to give them an audience!

If you want a better representation of the real world, as far as political thinking goes, the thing to do is filter out the trolls.

And after all, I came here to discuss politics.

I thought the name of the place was Just Plain Politics, not Just Plain Trolls.

It IS JPP, right?

Let's put the POLITICS back into Just Plain Politics!
 
Hello good people,

Another day, another poster on Ignore.

The most recent one never really contributed much anyway, that I could tell, so won't be missed.

Typical pattern.

A conversation begins.

I make a statement about the subject.

Another poster makes a conflicting statement. Implies that I have said something inaccurate. Doesn't actually say so. (No problem. At this point we're just establishing what we each believe about the subject.)

I provide a link which supports my statement, and refutes the position of the other poster. (Of course, as I do so, I focus only on the subject of discussion.)

The other poster insults me.

They get placed on permanent Ignore.

And they become my latest example to those who think they can just have me to unload their frustrations, stereotypes and misunderstandings on.

And here is a warning to anybody who thinks they can tell me off: I don't care if you are angry at 'the left.' I don't care if you want to attach all kinds of things to me, blame me for whatever you blame 'the left' for, or whatever. I am not going to be your receptacle for your latest fits of frustration. Not going to be your enabler. You can tell me off one time. That's on you. If I DON'T place you on Ignore, then I am accepting you will tell me off again. That's on me. Dis me once, shame on you. Dis me twice, shame on me.

The way I see it, if you flame on me and I don't put you on Ignore I would be a fool.

So if you want to talk to me, then you will have to treat me with the same respect that I treat you. Most can do that, but some just can't.

I understand it is predictable that social misfits go to the internet if they can't make any real friends. Those types are found here. It is prudent to set the appropriate filters to avoid seeing their attempts at being obnoxious and annoying enough to get attention + a small temporary endorphin rush.

That's what the Ignore feature is for.

An unpleasant chore, but absolutely worth while for preserving peace and intellectual serenity.
 
PoliTalker said:
Hello good people,

Another day, another poster on Ignore.

The most recent one never really contributed much anyway, that I could tell, so won't be missed.

Typical pattern.

A conversation begins.

I make a statement about the subject.

Another poster makes a conflicting statement. Implies that I have said something inaccurate. Doesn't actually say so. (No problem. At this point we're just establishing what we each believe about the subject.)

I provide a link which supports my statement, and refutes the position of the other poster. (Of course, as I do so, I focus only on the subject of discussion.)

The other poster insults me.

They get placed on permanent Ignore.

And they become my latest example to those who think they can just have me to unload their frustrations, stereotypes and misunderstandings on.

And here is a warning to anybody who thinks they can tell me off: I don't care if you are angry at 'the left.' I don't care if you want to attach all kinds of things to me, blame me for whatever you blame 'the left' for, or whatever. I am not going to be your receptacle for your latest fits of frustration. Not going to be your enabler. You can tell me off one time. That's on you. If I DON'T place you on Ignore, then I am accepting you will tell me off again. That's on me. Dis me once, shame on you. Dis me twice, shame on me.

The way I see it, if you flame on me and I don't put you on Ignore I would be a fool.

So if you want to talk to me, then you will have to treat me with the same respect that I treat you. Most can do that, but some just can't.

I understand it is predictable that social misfits go to the internet if they can't make any real friends. Those types are found here. It is prudent to set the appropriate filters to avoid seeing their attempts at being obnoxious and annoying enough to get attention + a small temporary endorphin rush.

That's what the Ignore feature is for.

An unpleasant chore, but absolutely worth while for preserving peace and intellectual serenity.
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PoliTalk, perhaps you should leave. Your condescending posts will not have the effect you seek.
I agree with most of the content of your last three posts, but please stop preaching and follow your advice.
 
PoliTalker said:
Hello good people,

Another day, another poster on Ignore.

The most recent one never really contributed much anyway, that I could tell, so won't be missed.

Typical pattern.

A conversation begins.

I make a statement about the subject.

Another poster makes a conflicting statement. Implies that I have said something inaccurate. Doesn't actually say so. (No problem. At this point we're just establishing what we each believe about the subject.)

I provide a link which supports my statement, and refutes the position of the other poster. (Of course, as I do so, I focus only on the subject of discussion.)

The other poster insults me.

They get placed on permanent Ignore.

And they become my latest example to those who think they can just have me to unload their frustrations, stereotypes and misunderstandings on.

And here is a warning to anybody who thinks they can tell me off: I don't care if you are angry at 'the left.' I don't care if you want to attach all kinds of things to me, blame me for whatever you blame 'the left' for, or whatever. I am not going to be your receptacle for your latest fits of frustration. Not going to be your enabler. You can tell me off one time. That's on you. If I DON'T place you on Ignore, then I am accepting you will tell me off again. That's on me. Dis me once, shame on you. Dis me twice, shame on me.

The way I see it, if you flame on me and I don't put you on Ignore I would be a fool.

So if you want to talk to me, then you will have to treat me with the same respect that I treat you. Most can do that, but some just can't.

I understand it is predictable that social misfits go to the internet if they can't make any real friends. Those types are found here. It is prudent to set the appropriate filters to avoid seeing their attempts at being obnoxious and annoying enough to get attention + a small temporary endorphin rush.

That's what the Ignore feature is for.

An unpleasant chore, but absolutely worth while for preserving peace and intellectual serenity.
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You can place me on ignore if you like.
 
Hello Controlled Opposition,

Controlled Opposition said:
PoliTalk, perhaps you should leave. Your condescending posts will not have the effect you seek.
I agree with most of the content of your last three posts, but please stop preaching and follow your advice.
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Thanks for your shared beliefs in civility.

It is never my intent to be condescending. I have mentioned no names, nor stated any inaccuracy to my knowledge.

I have been completely honest in how I approach this.

I do intend to stay here a long time. I understand I can't expect this place to change because I have a different approach. I also understand it won't change unless people speak up. I would like to see it change for the better but that could take time. Ideas take time to change. People take time to change. One thing is certain: change occurs. Nothing stays the same.

Here's to a more relevant, less trashy JPP! :clink:
 
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