*also know that I am actually having difficulty with the reality of the world we...

samstave · on Aug 20, 2013

I'd LOVE to have my view changed. Would you care to provide your assessment of the world? Seriously.

Every single thing that the USG has said since I have been paying attention - starting in 1986 - every single thing has been a lie. (I first became politically aware when I watched everything related to Iran-Contra with my father.)

It has been nothing but rinse-and-repeat of the same shit since that time. (2008 banking scandal? Try the SNL scandal of 80's)

anigbrowl · on Aug 20, 2013

Every single thing that the USG has said since I have been paying attention - starting in 1986 - every single thing has been a lie.

Sure it has. Every last little thing.

Now if you said that there always seems to be some scandal going on, then guess what, I agree with you. And guess what, that sort of shit has been going on since the founding of the Republic. And guess what, you can find shenanigans in the history of every monarchic, theocratic and republican government all the way back to ancient Rome and beyond. There is no Garden of Eden from which we've been expelled or Golden Age that we've lost, there's only your personal loss of innocence about how flawed humans are.

samstave · on Aug 20, 2013

>Sure it has. Every last little thing.

Pedantic.

With respect to every major event, and every scandal; the position of the USG has invariably been proven to be false.

Iran-Contra, S&L, Gulf War, Iraq War, 2008 banking scandal, NSA (no not wittingly).

So - while you think I am an "outrage junkie" -- how about I actually have principals and fuck the USG and others who are unscrupulous assholes.

Yeah - I am upset about what is going on, and it's funny because you're comments are of the opinion I should just "get over it and realize that humans suck".

Sorry, that's not a position I'll take.

anigbrowl · on Aug 20, 2013

Yeah - I am upset about what is going on, and it's funny because you're comments are of the opinion I should just "get over it and realize that humans suck". Sorry, that's not a position I'll take.

Then, and not coincidentally, you're doomed to eternal disappointment.

As for my own worldview, I adhere largely to three maxims: Hanlon's razor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon's_razor), suggesting that one should never ascribe to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity; public choice theory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon's_razor); and a cynical reading of the Federalist Papers.

samstave · on Aug 20, 2013

You also failed to share your worldview as I had requested. I'd be certainly interested in hearing it articulated in a comment as opposed to the way you're just refuting mine.