3 ms·

You lose all credibility when you refer to TSA agents as "clowns"

by xxpor 13y ago

arjie 13y ago
Eh? What's the relationship between credibility and civility? He may be losing your respect, but he certainly loses no credibility. Still, it reminds me of what Vonnegut says in _Hocus Pocus_: > Profanity and obscenity entitle people who don't want unpleasant information to close their ears and eyes to you People will search for reasons to dismiss anything you say. Being utterly civil takes away the easy reasons. Vonnegut takes this to such extremes in the book that it becomes satirical, but taken at face value it is still meaningful. As someone whose family is frequently stopped at airports and borders because of their Muslim names (the Christian-named half of my extended family universally makes it through, the ones with Muslim names universally have trouble, even when both travel together), I've learnt that the word 'damn' is near horrific but that hours of detention are okay.
coldpie 13y ago
They perform a meaningless task with no purpose other than to instill a certain emotion in their audience. Lots of job titles fit that definition, I like to use the word "clown." Edit for a slightly less flippant response. I do not respect the job these people do, and I like to degrade their position of authority. I like to make them hate their job, which is one of the reasons that I opt-out of the naked scanners and wish more people would. I want to tear the TSA down to where it was pre-9/11, and I think making people realize that the job these people perform is pointless security theatre ("clowns" performing dumb and silly actions like groping my testicles) helps do that.
- xxpor 13y ago
  > I want to tear the TSA down to where it was pre-9/11 So non-existant. > I do not respect the job these people do, and I like to degrade their position of authority. Then you're just an asshole. Do you seriously think most people become TSA agents to go on a power trip? Do you actively degrade prostitutes as well? What about newspaper editorialists you disagree with?
  - coldpie 13y ago
    I don't think I've ever had my rights routinely violated by prostitutes or newspaper editorialists.
  - dTal 13y ago
    Oh, get off your high horse. coldpie said "I do not respect the job these people do" and "I like to degrade their position of authority", not "I do not respect these people" and "I like to degrade these people". The TSA performs no useful function and is actively harmful through regular abuses of their position of power. Their employees are still humans and deserve to be treated like them, but their job deserves no respect, or else the term "respect" is now meaningless. Their position of authority absolutely deserves to be degraded. Take your straw men elsewhere. Also, "non-existant" [sic] is exactly where I'd like to see the TSA.

You lose all credibility when you refer to TSA agents as "clowns"

by xxpor 13y ago

You lose all credibility when you refer to TSA agents as "clowns"

arjie 13y ago

Eh? What's the relationship between credibility and civility? He may be losing your respect, but he certainly loses no credibility. Still, it reminds me of what Vonnegut says in _Hocus Pocus_: > Profanity and obscenity entitle people who don't want unpleasant information to close their ears and eyes to you People will search for reasons to dismiss anything you say. Being utterly civil takes away the easy reasons. Vonnegut takes this to such extremes in the book that it becomes satirical, but taken at face value it is still meaningful. As someone whose family is frequently stopped at airports and borders because of their Muslim names (the Christian-named half of my extended family universally makes it through, the ones with Muslim names universally have trouble, even when both travel together), I've learnt that the word 'damn' is near horrific but that hours of detention are okay.

coldpie 13y ago

They perform a meaningless task with no purpose other than to instill a certain emotion in their audience. Lots of job titles fit that definition, I like to use the word "clown." Edit for a slightly less flippant response. I do not respect the job these people do, and I like to degrade their position of authority. I like to make them hate their job, which is one of the reasons that I opt-out of the naked scanners and wish more people would. I want to tear the TSA down to where it was pre-9/11, and I think making people realize that the job these people perform is pointless security theatre ("clowns" performing dumb and silly actions like groping my testicles) helps do that.

xxpor 13y ago
> I want to tear the TSA down to where it was pre-9/11 So non-existant. > I do not respect the job these people do, and I like to degrade their position of authority. Then you're just an asshole. Do you seriously think most people become TSA agents to go on a power trip? Do you actively degrade prostitutes as well? What about newspaper editorialists you disagree with?
- coldpie 13y ago
  I don't think I've ever had my rights routinely violated by prostitutes or newspaper editorialists.
- dTal 13y ago
  Oh, get off your high horse. coldpie said "I do not respect the job these people do" and "I like to degrade their position of authority", not "I do not respect these people" and "I like to degrade these people". The TSA performs no useful function and is actively harmful through regular abuses of their position of power. Their employees are still humans and deserve to be treated like them, but their job deserves no respect, or else the term "respect" is now meaningless. Their position of authority absolutely deserves to be degraded. Take your straw men elsewhere. Also, "non-existant" [sic] is exactly where I'd like to see the TSA.