Excellent.

(thanks to Mark for the link)

One of the most serious signs of an ailing democracy is the unwillingness of the people to passionately debate important topics, e.g. politics. This is rampant in the South where it’s considered highly disrespectful to debate with people since it involves telling the other person they’re wrong about something. In short, the idea is to avoid spirited discourse because it’s rude.

This is troubling. Also, I find it interesting that debate thrives in the west where the politics are liberal, while debate is highly discouraged in the South where the politics are…anti-liberal.

Anyway, here’s an interesting piece at Overcoming Bias, which is one of my favorite blogs. It puts forth the idea that debate is fundamentally disrespectful.

I actually agree with this, and I think it is those who are more open-minded and thoughtful who can handle these types of challenges to their identity and beliefs. Hence the regional differences in attitudes toward debate.

Thoughts?

Links

[ Disagreement is Disrespect | overcomingbias.com ]

I found an article on CNN yesterday that severely bothered me. It’s by a Black professor by the name of Michael Eric Dyson. His article is typical of the 90’s theme of high victimization and low responsibility. Here are a few choice excerpts:

There is a vicious prison system that hungers for young black and brown bodies. The more young black and brown folk are thrown in jail, the more cells are built, and the more money made.

This is sickening. I just threw up in my mouth. “Black and Brown” bodies don’t make any more money than White ones. Nobody gives a shit what color the inmates are. Prison systems get money based on capacity needs. Period.

It has been well documented that we spend far more money on penitentiaries than university education for poor black and brown males.

Well, sure, that’s because if they choose not to go to school (often for free), none of that education money that’s available to them is ever spent. Yet if they choose to commit a crime then the money that’s available to lock them up will get spent. And this is precisely what’s happening all over America.

We would permit no other population of American citizens to be locked away with such callous disregard for the educational opportunity that might help stem the tide of incarceration.

There are legions of studies that show that young Black males who embrace intellectualism and education are shunned by their peers. There is also plenty of research that shows that the Black household — even when accounting for income — doesn’t promote academics the same as White and Asian households.

These are the reasons they aren’t succeeding in high school and going on to college. The system itself doesn’t care who participates; in fact, it’s biased heavily in the favor of Blacks. The problem, and solution, is deeply cultural. The cycle of failure is built into the system.

Try this: go to any city in the United States that is roughly half Black and half White on a Friday night. Go to the local book store. Count the people. Do the math. My anecdotal numbers, taken many times, show approximately 2-5% black. Quite simply, going to the book store on a Friday night, as a hangout, because reading is fun, is a “White” thing.

Until that changes, and intellectualism becomes part of the Black culture, professor Dyson will have plenty more opportunity to completely misdiagnose the problem.:

[ McCain Strategist: "We're Fucked" | dailykos.com ]

The national average score on this quiz is 50%, and for those below 30 it’s 30%. I scored a 91%.

Where do you fit?

Links

[ Where Do You Fit? | pewresearch.org ]

The rift between us…

RIFT.

Reads In Free Time

Those who are not in intellectual (see lucrative) professions have a strong inverse correlation with reading for fun. So the next time you hear an adult speaking like they’ve never been to school, while serving you fast food, think about the odds that they have books at home. Or the odds that they’ve read anything other than a pop culture publication outside of being assigned to do so in school.

RIFT.

People who read in their free time (because reading is fun) are far more likely to be “successful”. Yes, I know, citations needed. I’ll get some as the idea develops. For now I just like the acronym and the concept that goes with it.

Thoughts?

Reminder: if you’re not reading reddit, you should be.

Links

[ Parent Comment ]
[ My Comment ]

From the examiner:

That Obama attracts support from some in the military is evident in dollars and cents: Among people who have donated at least $200 to a presidential campaign this election cycle, Obama has collected more than $327,000 from those identifying themselves as military personnel, while McCain has collected $224,000, according to an analysis of Federal Election Commission data by The Associated Press.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering if that “over $200″ bit is skewing the results, it does — but in McCain’s favor. Over 90% of Obama’s donations are less than $100 dollars, so if we were to factor in sub-$200 donations the rift would likely be far larger.

Besides, if McCain had anything like the military support he claims to have, the numbers would massively slanted in his favor — like by 10/1. The fact that it’s in Obama’s favor at all — to whatever degree — tells you there’s something very wrong with his message of being on the side of the military.

You Can’t Have It Both Ways

Some pro-war types might be eager to say that the military just wants Obama in office because he’s said he’ll bring them home. But that would mean these Military donors aren’t truly evaluating the situation logically and strategically; in other words, they’re putting their own desires above those of the U.S.

So which is it? Either a) the military knows what’s going on over there and still thinks it’s best that we leave (which supports Obama’s plan), or b) they know it’s best to stay but they’re voting for Obama because they want to go home anyway (which is, in effect, calling these donors poor soldiers).

I think it’s a, and if the neocons want to say it’s b then let them do so. I just think it’s amusing that they are going to be forced to call our troops cowards if they insist on clinging to their position of “everything’s fine”.: