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  4. In praise of nuance

In praise of nuance

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  • D Offline
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    dennisd45
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    In praise of nuance[^] A selection from this article: “Nuance” is one of those words successfully poisoned by American conservatives, like “liberal” or “feminist”. Originally a term of praise, suggesting an intelligent consideration of the many sides and shades of a complex issue, it’s now a term of mockery. Dick Cheney sneers it really well, makes it sound like a construction worker mocking a gay Parisian. The problem is, some issues ARE nuanced. Some ethical and moral decisions are nuanced. Life is nuanced, unless you’re very young, very stupid, or an irredeemable idealogue of some persuasion. (Those qualities are not mutually exclusive.) That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing. Ideologues simplify things. They refuse to acknowledge those nasty nuances. There’s a simple for answer for everything: you just have to consult the revealed text (be it the Koran, Das Kapital, or Fukuyama’s “End Of History”), and there’s the answer. As long as it’s derived from or consistent with your chosen revelation, no further thought is required. Nuances don’t exist. And best of all, you don’t don’t actually have to engage with any ideas that challenge your stance. If they are not in consistent with your truth, then they are self evidently wrong, because they’re - well, they’re not consistent with the Bible, the Koran, the Little Red Book or the Thoughts of Chairman Tom Flanagan. So they’re wrong. End of story. Emphasis added.

    No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

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    • D dennisd45

      In praise of nuance[^] A selection from this article: “Nuance” is one of those words successfully poisoned by American conservatives, like “liberal” or “feminist”. Originally a term of praise, suggesting an intelligent consideration of the many sides and shades of a complex issue, it’s now a term of mockery. Dick Cheney sneers it really well, makes it sound like a construction worker mocking a gay Parisian. The problem is, some issues ARE nuanced. Some ethical and moral decisions are nuanced. Life is nuanced, unless you’re very young, very stupid, or an irredeemable idealogue of some persuasion. (Those qualities are not mutually exclusive.) That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing. Ideologues simplify things. They refuse to acknowledge those nasty nuances. There’s a simple for answer for everything: you just have to consult the revealed text (be it the Koran, Das Kapital, or Fukuyama’s “End Of History”), and there’s the answer. As long as it’s derived from or consistent with your chosen revelation, no further thought is required. Nuances don’t exist. And best of all, you don’t don’t actually have to engage with any ideas that challenge your stance. If they are not in consistent with your truth, then they are self evidently wrong, because they’re - well, they’re not consistent with the Bible, the Koran, the Little Red Book or the Thoughts of Chairman Tom Flanagan. So they’re wrong. End of story. Emphasis added.

      No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

      M Offline
      M Offline
      Mike Gaskey
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      dennisd45 wrote:

      Emphasis added.

      misses the point entirely. there is no nuance twixt right and wrong, good and evil. those are absolutes.

      Mike Dear NYT - the fact is, the founding fathers hung traitors. dennisd45 wrote: My view of the world is slightly more nuanced

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      • D dennisd45

        In praise of nuance[^] A selection from this article: “Nuance” is one of those words successfully poisoned by American conservatives, like “liberal” or “feminist”. Originally a term of praise, suggesting an intelligent consideration of the many sides and shades of a complex issue, it’s now a term of mockery. Dick Cheney sneers it really well, makes it sound like a construction worker mocking a gay Parisian. The problem is, some issues ARE nuanced. Some ethical and moral decisions are nuanced. Life is nuanced, unless you’re very young, very stupid, or an irredeemable idealogue of some persuasion. (Those qualities are not mutually exclusive.) That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing. Ideologues simplify things. They refuse to acknowledge those nasty nuances. There’s a simple for answer for everything: you just have to consult the revealed text (be it the Koran, Das Kapital, or Fukuyama’s “End Of History”), and there’s the answer. As long as it’s derived from or consistent with your chosen revelation, no further thought is required. Nuances don’t exist. And best of all, you don’t don’t actually have to engage with any ideas that challenge your stance. If they are not in consistent with your truth, then they are self evidently wrong, because they’re - well, they’re not consistent with the Bible, the Koran, the Little Red Book or the Thoughts of Chairman Tom Flanagan. So they’re wrong. End of story. Emphasis added.

        No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

        P Offline
        P Offline
        peterchen
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        sometimes the black-and-white-seers are closer to the right ting. But even then, I still prefer the colors.


        We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
        Tree in C# || Fold With Us! || sighist

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        • M Mike Gaskey

          dennisd45 wrote:

          Emphasis added.

          misses the point entirely. there is no nuance twixt right and wrong, good and evil. those are absolutes.

          Mike Dear NYT - the fact is, the founding fathers hung traitors. dennisd45 wrote: My view of the world is slightly more nuanced

          P Offline
          P Offline
          peterchen
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Mike Gaskey wrote:

          those are absolutes.

          f(x,t)


          We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
          Tree in C# || Fold With Us! || sighist

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • M Mike Gaskey

            dennisd45 wrote:

            Emphasis added.

            misses the point entirely. there is no nuance twixt right and wrong, good and evil. those are absolutes.

            Mike Dear NYT - the fact is, the founding fathers hung traitors. dennisd45 wrote: My view of the world is slightly more nuanced

            D Offline
            D Offline
            dennisd45
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            It's either right or wrong, good or evil. Killing - good or evil? Right or wrong? Make your choices.

            No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

            A 1 Reply Last reply
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            • D dennisd45

              In praise of nuance[^] A selection from this article: “Nuance” is one of those words successfully poisoned by American conservatives, like “liberal” or “feminist”. Originally a term of praise, suggesting an intelligent consideration of the many sides and shades of a complex issue, it’s now a term of mockery. Dick Cheney sneers it really well, makes it sound like a construction worker mocking a gay Parisian. The problem is, some issues ARE nuanced. Some ethical and moral decisions are nuanced. Life is nuanced, unless you’re very young, very stupid, or an irredeemable idealogue of some persuasion. (Those qualities are not mutually exclusive.) That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing. Ideologues simplify things. They refuse to acknowledge those nasty nuances. There’s a simple for answer for everything: you just have to consult the revealed text (be it the Koran, Das Kapital, or Fukuyama’s “End Of History”), and there’s the answer. As long as it’s derived from or consistent with your chosen revelation, no further thought is required. Nuances don’t exist. And best of all, you don’t don’t actually have to engage with any ideas that challenge your stance. If they are not in consistent with your truth, then they are self evidently wrong, because they’re - well, they’re not consistent with the Bible, the Koran, the Little Red Book or the Thoughts of Chairman Tom Flanagan. So they’re wrong. End of story. Emphasis added.

              No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

              S Offline
              S Offline
              Stan Shannon
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              dennisd45 wrote:

              That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing. Ideologues simplify things.

              So you've developed the non-ideology ideology? I'll have to give it to you - that is certainly fucking nuanced. Good work.

              Thank God for disproportional force.

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              • S Stan Shannon

                dennisd45 wrote:

                That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing. Ideologues simplify things.

                So you've developed the non-ideology ideology? I'll have to give it to you - that is certainly fucking nuanced. Good work.

                Thank God for disproportional force.

                D Offline
                D Offline
                dennisd45
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                Stan Shannon wrote:

                So you've developed the non-ideology ideology? I'll have to give it to you - that is certainly f****ing nuanced. Good work.

                :zzz:

                No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

                S 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • D dennisd45

                  In praise of nuance[^] A selection from this article: “Nuance” is one of those words successfully poisoned by American conservatives, like “liberal” or “feminist”. Originally a term of praise, suggesting an intelligent consideration of the many sides and shades of a complex issue, it’s now a term of mockery. Dick Cheney sneers it really well, makes it sound like a construction worker mocking a gay Parisian. The problem is, some issues ARE nuanced. Some ethical and moral decisions are nuanced. Life is nuanced, unless you’re very young, very stupid, or an irredeemable idealogue of some persuasion. (Those qualities are not mutually exclusive.) That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing. Ideologues simplify things. They refuse to acknowledge those nasty nuances. There’s a simple for answer for everything: you just have to consult the revealed text (be it the Koran, Das Kapital, or Fukuyama’s “End Of History”), and there’s the answer. As long as it’s derived from or consistent with your chosen revelation, no further thought is required. Nuances don’t exist. And best of all, you don’t don’t actually have to engage with any ideas that challenge your stance. If they are not in consistent with your truth, then they are self evidently wrong, because they’re - well, they’re not consistent with the Bible, the Koran, the Little Red Book or the Thoughts of Chairman Tom Flanagan. So they’re wrong. End of story. Emphasis added.

                  No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

                  T Offline
                  T Offline
                  TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  dennisd45 wrote:

                  That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing.

                  I notice that you only use right-wing ideologies here and avoid mentioning any of the left-wing ideologies. Hmm, could that be because there's a bit of biased, self-righteous thinking going on here?

                  Silence is the voice of complicity. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. -- monty python Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay

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                  • T TheGreatAndPowerfulOz

                    dennisd45 wrote:

                    That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing.

                    I notice that you only use right-wing ideologies here and avoid mentioning any of the left-wing ideologies. Hmm, could that be because there's a bit of biased, self-righteous thinking going on here?

                    Silence is the voice of complicity. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. -- monty python Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay

                    D Offline
                    D Offline
                    dennisd45
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    So, Das Kapital and Maoism are right-wing ideologies?

                    No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

                    J T 2 Replies Last reply
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                    • M Mike Gaskey

                      dennisd45 wrote:

                      Emphasis added.

                      misses the point entirely. there is no nuance twixt right and wrong, good and evil. those are absolutes.

                      Mike Dear NYT - the fact is, the founding fathers hung traitors. dennisd45 wrote: My view of the world is slightly more nuanced

                      A Offline
                      A Offline
                      Alvaro Mendez
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      Mike Gaskey wrote:

                      there is no nuance twixt right and wrong, good and evil.

                      Do you have children? Rick (8 years old) catches his brother Paul (6 years old) playing with one of Rick's toys. Rick proceeds to abruptly take the toy away from Paul while telling him, "That's mine". Paul gets mad and kicks Rick in the leg. Rick, who can't believe his little brother would dare do that, grabs Paul by the neck, punches him, and pushes him to the floor. Paul starts crying. Mike (that's you) walks into the room. Who's right and who's wrong? Who's good and who's evil? Alvaro


                      Josh: So you have been married twice? You must have been young the first time around. Christian: Yeah, we were young and stupid. I was young, and she was...

                      T R C M 4 Replies Last reply
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                      • T TheGreatAndPowerfulOz

                        dennisd45 wrote:

                        That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing.

                        I notice that you only use right-wing ideologies here and avoid mentioning any of the left-wing ideologies. Hmm, could that be because there's a bit of biased, self-righteous thinking going on here?

                        Silence is the voice of complicity. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. -- monty python Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay

                        R Offline
                        R Offline
                        Rob Graham
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        When did Maoism become "right wing"?

                        J T 2 Replies Last reply
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                        • D dennisd45

                          So, Das Kapital and Maoism are right-wing ideologies?

                          No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

                          J Offline
                          J Offline
                          Jorgen Sigvardsson
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          I was thinking the same. Obviously ahz wasn't thinking at all. :~

                          -- Broadcast simultaneously one year in the future

                          T 1 Reply Last reply
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                          • T TheGreatAndPowerfulOz

                            dennisd45 wrote:

                            That’s why ideology, be it neoconservatism, Maoism, fundamentalist Christianity or Taliban-style Islam, is such a useful thing.

                            I notice that you only use right-wing ideologies here and avoid mentioning any of the left-wing ideologies. Hmm, could that be because there's a bit of biased, self-righteous thinking going on here?

                            Silence is the voice of complicity. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. -- monty python Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay

                            S Offline
                            S Offline
                            Stan Shannon
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            ahz wrote:

                            Hmm, could that be because there's a bit of biased, self-righteous thinking going on here?

                            He has no ideology. He doesn't need no stinking ideology!

                            Thank God for disproportional force.

                            D 1 Reply Last reply
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                            • R Rob Graham

                              When did Maoism become "right wing"?

                              J Offline
                              J Offline
                              Jorgen Sigvardsson
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              16 minutes ago, apparently. :~ If Maoism is right wing, I'm so far to the right that light is distorted.

                              -- Torn from tomorrow's headlines

                              R 1 Reply Last reply
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                              • D dennisd45

                                Stan Shannon wrote:

                                So you've developed the non-ideology ideology? I'll have to give it to you - that is certainly f****ing nuanced. Good work.

                                :zzz:

                                No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

                                S Offline
                                S Offline
                                Stan Shannon
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                Sleep away - and dream your nuanced non-ideology dreams!

                                Thank God for disproportional force.

                                D 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • D dennisd45

                                  So, Das Kapital and Maoism are right-wing ideologies?

                                  No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

                                  T Offline
                                  T Offline
                                  TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  dennisd45 wrote:

                                  So, Das Kapital and Maoism are right-wing ideologies?

                                  hmm, my bad. too quick on the draw. I apologize.

                                  Silence is the voice of complicity. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. -- monty python Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • J Jorgen Sigvardsson

                                    I was thinking the same. Obviously ahz wasn't thinking at all. :~

                                    -- Broadcast simultaneously one year in the future

                                    T Offline
                                    T Offline
                                    TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Jörgen Sigvardsson wrote:

                                    Obviously ahz wasn't thinking at all.

                                    quite so. lol. :-O

                                    Silence is the voice of complicity. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. -- monty python Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • S Stan Shannon

                                      Sleep away - and dream your nuanced non-ideology dreams!

                                      Thank God for disproportional force.

                                      D Offline
                                      D Offline
                                      dennisd45
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      Gosh, you sound just like espeir. Are you actually different people?

                                      No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn. - Jim Morrison

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                                      • R Rob Graham

                                        When did Maoism become "right wing"?

                                        T Offline
                                        T Offline
                                        TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        Rob Graham wrote:

                                        When did Maoism become "right wing"?

                                        I was being a bit trigger happy. my bad.

                                        Silence is the voice of complicity. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. -- monty python Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • A Alvaro Mendez

                                          Mike Gaskey wrote:

                                          there is no nuance twixt right and wrong, good and evil.

                                          Do you have children? Rick (8 years old) catches his brother Paul (6 years old) playing with one of Rick's toys. Rick proceeds to abruptly take the toy away from Paul while telling him, "That's mine". Paul gets mad and kicks Rick in the leg. Rick, who can't believe his little brother would dare do that, grabs Paul by the neck, punches him, and pushes him to the floor. Paul starts crying. Mike (that's you) walks into the room. Who's right and who's wrong? Who's good and who's evil? Alvaro


                                          Josh: So you have been married twice? You must have been young the first time around. Christian: Yeah, we were young and stupid. I was young, and she was...

                                          T Offline
                                          T Offline
                                          TheGreatAndPowerfulOz
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          Alvaro Mendez wrote:

                                          Who's right and who's wrong? Who's good and who's evil?

                                          both.

                                          Silence is the voice of complicity. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. -- monty python Might I suggest that the universe was always the size of the cosmos. It is just that at one point the cosmos was the size of a marble. -- Colin Angus Mackay

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