An independent thinker would not counter that claim without understanding the basis of the argument. What’s more, they want to understand and welcome what they might be missing. That requires critical thinking.
While tons of people talk a good game, I don’t see any of ’em doing this when their beliefs are being challenged (as in — when it counts the most):
In a culture that races to respond — some would not even take a breath to recognize how “unwittingly” is a given in the title. And it just astounds me that the Left would seize on my statement as if it implies that the Right had no role in taking this nation totally off the rails.
Republicans helped put Obama in office by their own blind belief — thereby exacerbating many of the problems they’re rightly railing against (much of which is rooted in blind belief).
That you you believe it’s rooted in something else doesn’t stand to reason when taking reality into account. Just picking the “root cause” that works for you doesn’t get it done. You’ve gotta look at interconnected causes across the board.
That the reaction is not to think it through, not to question, not to assemble facts, not to make arguments — but instead to wave banners and spout slogans such that you could hardly distinguish what they were doing from a manifesto that would come out of [does it matter?]
If that behavior is wrong — does it matter who’s doing it? If you don’t like the person behind the quote, does it make it any less true?
The fact that this purveyor of virtue is a hypocrite who changed the rules to protect his hero — doesn’t change the fact that’s he’s still right in other ways (as is his hero who said the following):
Politeness and Consideration for Others is Like Investing Pennies and Getting Dollars Back
His hero is a hypocrite and a liar — but I wish I’d thought of that lovely line that captures the core of what courtesy’s all about. And yet his fanatical followers who flood the internet with his words — act like animals to honor him while defending the indefensible.
Some circles are not burdened by squaring their walk with their talk. They seem to think that advertising virtue equates to embodying it.
It’s all window dressing
- You thirst for critical thinking — as long it doesn’t challenge what you believe
- You follow the facts — so long as they’re going in the direction you desire
- You demand accountability — as long you & yours aren’t being held accountable
- You preach responsibility — as long as it fits the formula that works for you
- You love the idea of talking about ideas — so long as there’s no work involved that would interrupt your incessant Tweeting about your concerns
- And that idea damn sure better be about exposing the enemy — because you sure as hell have no role in who’s to blame
Just where do I go to find the genuine article?
Where your record reflects your claims:
One Voice Became Two 