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You really think intellectuals would be content holed up in their McMansions while a struggle for liberty was raging in this country? And our family and friends

by jeromec 17y ago

You really think intellectuals would be content holed up in their McMansions while a struggle for liberty was raging in this country? And our family and friends which make up the military wouldn't know which side to stand on? I'm not talking about censoring some silly media, I'm talking about if it came down to the difference between liberty and tyranny, of infringing assembly and free speech.

forensic 17y ago
>You really think intellectuals would be content holed up in their McMansions while a struggle for liberty was raging in this country? WTF has been going on for the last 40 years? There has been an accelerating decline in liberty since about 1970. Your sisters, cousins, etc have proven themselves to be easily manipulated idiots. Intellectuals have proven themselves to be spineless lovers of comfort who will complain but never put anything tangible on the line.
- jeromec 17y ago
  I meant if a line was crossed. I don't think we've crossed any line. We've come close, but the people still hold power.
lsc 17y ago
pretty much. Do you really think we'd take our cheeto-stained hands off the keyboard and start shooting at people? I know I'm not ready to get shot for some abstract idea. Sure, I'd maybe spend some time and/or money, but I don't think anyone but the crazies would start shooting. Besides, I think that shooting back is rarely effective in modern warfare; it's all about 'hearts and minds' these days, not about who can kill more of the other dudes.
- roc 17y ago
  Iran seems to be demonstrating the limit of what's achievable by winning 'hearts and minds' alone.
  - lsc 17y ago
    It's pretty difficult to invade another country and win any 'hearts and minds' - I mean, no matter how shitty the previous government was, you are a foreign invader. I think Iran (and Iran's success against the USSR) is a prime example of how 'hearts and minds' is much more important than guns and bombs in modern warfare.
    - roc 17y ago
      It's definitely important. But the current situation in Iran suggests that Hearts and Minds alone isn't sufficient.
      - lsc 17y ago
        lol. I'm going to shut up. I re-read this and I probably make no sense as I wrote iran rather than Afghanistan.

by jeromec 17y ago

forensic 17y ago

>You really think intellectuals would be content holed up in their McMansions while a struggle for liberty was raging in this country? WTF has been going on for the last 40 years? There has been an accelerating decline in liberty since about 1970. Your sisters, cousins, etc have proven themselves to be easily manipulated idiots. Intellectuals have proven themselves to be spineless lovers of comfort who will complain but never put anything tangible on the line.

jeromec 17y ago
I meant if a line was crossed. I don't think we've crossed any line. We've come close, but the people still hold power.

lsc 17y ago

pretty much. Do you really think we'd take our cheeto-stained hands off the keyboard and start shooting at people? I know I'm not ready to get shot for some abstract idea. Sure, I'd maybe spend some time and/or money, but I don't think anyone but the crazies would start shooting. Besides, I think that shooting back is rarely effective in modern warfare; it's all about 'hearts and minds' these days, not about who can kill more of the other dudes.

roc 17y ago
Iran seems to be demonstrating the limit of what's achievable by winning 'hearts and minds' alone.
- lsc 17y ago
  It's pretty difficult to invade another country and win any 'hearts and minds' - I mean, no matter how shitty the previous government was, you are a foreign invader. I think Iran (and Iran's success against the USSR) is a prime example of how 'hearts and minds' is much more important than guns and bombs in modern warfare.
  - roc 17y ago
    It's definitely important. But the current situation in Iran suggests that Hearts and Minds alone isn't sufficient.
    - lsc 17y ago
      lol. I'm going to shut up. I re-read this and I probably make no sense as I wrote iran rather than Afghanistan.