Nitro did you say they were writing about it or doing something about it? Big big difference. Talk is cheap. Action is much harder to come by. I know a lot of guys that have written some great books on trading but can't trade their way out of a paper bag. I rather follow a man's actions then listen to his words. But different strokes for different folks I guess.
You assume that the only way to do "something about it" is to have some action in some physical way. If that is the way you react to issues, I am not for or against it. It is when you go off writting is if you know what you are talking about that you engage other people that think they also know what they are talking about. We all do our work in our own way. Some use the pen, some use the sword, some use both, some use neither. Most of us do our "part" the only real way that matters ultimately to us - we vote. Clearly, 99% of us fall into that category, and it is this cross section of the population, the mostly "uninformed" that get their "current issues" from anonymous internet message boards, that these hem, "discussions" are targeting so as to sway public opinion, or in some cases just to prove the other guy wrong. When people come on an Internet site and start talking political issues, I always laugh just for this reason. nitro
Nitro I think the reason most people come on internet message boards to talk politics is because they are bored. I think the reason most people go to University of Chicago lectures to listen to intellectual elites is probably because they are too afraid to think for themselves and would feel more comfortable borrowing the thoughts and ideas from others. It's much easier to let other people think for you. As Forest Gump would say, "that's one less thing to worry about".
Nitro I think the reason most people come on internet message boards to talk politics is because they are bored. I think the reason most people go to University of Chicago lectures to listen to intellectual elites is probably because they are too afraid to think for themselves and would feel more comfortable borrowing the thoughts and ideas from others. It's much easier to let other people think for you. As Forest Gump would say, "that's one less thing to worry about".
Well, I really enjoyed Forrest Gump. I also enjoy going to listen to people whose job is to understand political philosophy and history and economics. These people often go on to inform presidents or some other public service and end up shaping the way we think, either directly or indirectly. I also read people like Studs Terkel that do oral history of very blue collar workers. I talk to my mother and father who are very blue collar workers and their work conditions. I talk to my brother and his wife. I talk to my ex-wife and I talk to my 7 year old daughter. I talk to my friend that works at Jewel/Osco and I try to learn about unions from the everyday point of view. I take it all in as objectively as possible. What I try to avoid are anonymous Internet sites as my "educator" in these matters. Then I make up my mind, and tomorrow someone may enliten me and I may change it again... nitro
Well I agree with the talking to your mother and father and friends, thats fine. Just make sure that you know that most people in this world have an agenda. Both on the right and the left. When you listen to these so called people whose job it is to understand politics and philosophy, what you are really listening to is their biases and their spin. Like I said, this is true of both the right and the left. Now you may think you are going to listen to these speakers objectively, but that is pretty hard to do when they are not being objective when they present these ideas. I try to base as much of my political philosophies as possible on my own personal experiences because I won't lie to myself or manipulate myself. That's why I always get a good chuckle when I see some of the stuff posted on ET from the likes of let's say Paul Krugman who calls himself an economist. I always get a good laugh when I hear that. LOL.
Yes, I did see all the above responses. I was just questioning your ability to be so called objective when your getting your information from subjective sources. Everybody likes to think of themselves as being objective just like everyone likes to think they have a good sense of humor and they are attractive. The reality of the situation is of course much different. I have never met a person that said they were not an objective thinker. LOL.