Russian chemical attack on UK

SteveG wrote: I very much doubt I'd be impressed with the chap, regardless of what he thought or said. Especially if he didn't have an original comeback. he.. he.. I can hear micky laughing.

you judge him without knowing anything of him. if this is your basis of judging people I am not surprised you put figures like Stalin, Hitler and Putin into one category

(micky): he...he...

oh, and my professor would probably have told you to stick to physical ed

SteveG wrote: BaldJean wrote: SteveG wrote: BaldJean wrote: comparing Putin to Hitler is too far-fetched. and Trump is worse than Bush (which Bush anyway)? Here's a simple question jean. Of the following list of people, pick the one who does not fit in with this grouping: Is it A) Milosevic B) Hitler C) Putin D) Bush E) Stalin or F) Trump? such lists are suggestive but historically nonsense, Steve. you can't compare politicians like you can compare fruit. one of my history professors immediately gave you a D for a paper when it included sentences like "politician A is like politician B" I heartily disagree with your learned colleague as the need for an absolutely equal comparison can never exist. One says that Hitler killed x amount of people but fail to consider that Bush killed nearly as many by starting a war and invading a country that was not an enemy of the US. The result is that people died at the instigation of these two leaders. The same with Milosevic and Putin. Both killers. Trump does not yet have a recorded death toll but his ideology of hatred, race baiting and race segregation in America, as well as his efforts to subvert the American media, put him closer to Hitler, Putin and Milosevic. I think your prof should have stuck to physical ed.

you are totally missing the point of my professor. I compared Stalin to Hitler in a paper once and not only got my D but also a lengthy private lecture by my professor which I remember by heart:

"Jeanine, you are a very intelligent student; one of my best. but why did you have to write such a stupid paper? historical laymen like to say that history repeats itself; there could hardly be a more idiotic statement. when looking at historical figures and their failures, achievements, atrocities and benefactions there are dozens of parameters to consider: what was the political, economical and social situation at the time, which political, social, religious and ideological movements existed, what technologies did exist, what were the interior and exterior allies and enemies, which socially, politically, religious and scientifically important figures were around, and this is just the beginning. all these parameters have to be taken into account, and they are never even close to equal. and all you come up with is equating Stalin and Hitler? really, Jeanine, I am very disappointed by you".

he gave several examples after these opening lines. needless to say this lecture of his totally changed my world view


Edited by BaldJean - April 07 2018 at 11:35

micky wrote: ExittheLemming wrote: Easy Money wrote: ExittheLemming wrote: Easy Money wrote: SteveG wrote: "Another thing that disgusts me with the Western public mindset is the new false equivalency where as all politicians are seen as equally corrupt and all equally evil..." I have to agree with you here, this sort of cynicism is easily manipulated by the worst kind of people. I have friends who are working their way up in the political system and I hate to shock anyone, but they are honest hard working people who actually want to make the world a better place. Imagine that. Can you give us examples of aspiring 'honest hard working people' who want to make the world a worse place for themselves? I could list the names of my friends I already mentioned, but I don't think I will do that. I'm happy to let you stay convinced of the certitude of your own keen worldly insights. So No then? he saw I answered you already...

The selflessness of his apocryphal 'friends' and yourself is duly noted

ExittheLemming wrote: Easy Money wrote: ExittheLemming wrote: Easy Money wrote: SteveG wrote: "Another thing that disgusts me with the Western public mindset is the new false equivalency where as all politicians are seen as equally corrupt and all equally evil..." I have to agree with you here, this sort of cynicism is easily manipulated by the worst kind of people. I have friends who are working their way up in the political system and I hate to shock anyone, but they are honest hard working people who actually want to make the world a better place. Imagine that. Can you give us examples of aspiring 'honest hard working people' who want to make the world a worse place for themselves? I could list the names of my friends I already mentioned, but I don't think I will do that. I'm happy to let you stay convinced of the certitude of your own keen worldly insights. So No then?

Easy Money wrote: ExittheLemming wrote: Easy Money wrote: SteveG wrote: "Another thing that disgusts me with the Western public mindset is the new false equivalency where as all politicians are seen as equally corrupt and all equally evil..." I have to agree with you here, this sort of cynicism is easily manipulated by the worst kind of people. I have friends who are working their way up in the political system and I hate to shock anyone, but they are honest hard working people who actually want to make the world a better place. Imagine that. Can you give us examples of aspiring 'honest hard working people' who want to make the world a worse place for themselves? I could list the names of my friends I already mentioned, but I don't think I will do that. I'm happy to let you stay convinced of the certitude of your own keen worldly insights.

So No then?

ExittheLemming wrote: Easy Money wrote: SteveG wrote: "Another thing that disgusts me with the Western public mindset is the new false equivalency where as all politicians are seen as equally corrupt and all equally evil..." I have to agree with you here, this sort of cynicism is easily manipulated by the worst kind of people. I have friends who are working their way up in the political system and I hate to shock anyone, but they are honest hard working people who actually want to make the world a better place. Imagine that. Can you give us examples of aspiring 'honest hard working people' who want to make the world a worse place for themselves?

I could list the names of my friends I already mentioned, but I don't think I will do that. I'm happy to let you stay convinced of the certitude of your own keen worldly insights.

Easy Money wrote: SteveG wrote: "Another thing that disgusts me with the Western public mindset is the new false equivalency where as all politicians are seen as equally corrupt and all equally evil..." I have to agree with you here, this sort of cynicism is easily manipulated by the worst kind of people. I have friends who are working their way up in the political system and I hate to shock anyone, but they are honest hard working people who actually want to make the world a better place. Imagine that.

I spent many years politically active, and the vast majority I dealt with went into politics with the noblest of intentions, and that includes those whom I disagreed with fundamentally. Funnily enough, I always got on better personally with the Conservative politicians I met and dealt with.

Part of the problem is that politicians cannot fundamentally change the system they work within, or at least very rarely. In this regard, I always think of Waters' lyrics on Welcome to the Machine. The established order is just like a machine. It sucks you in, and it is very difficult to change once you are there. I speak here as one who was a libertarian trade unionist in my yoof, and is now a middle ranking civil servant happily content with my lot, and my role within said machine.

SteveG wrote:

"Another thing that disgusts me with the Western public mindset is the new false equivalency where as all politicians are seen as equally corrupt and all equally evil..."

I have to agree with you here, this sort of cynicism is easily manipulated by the worst kind of people.
I have friends who are working their way up in the political system and I hate to shock anyone, but they are honest hard working people who actually want to make the world a better place. Imagine that.

hahahah