"the study of ethics and literary criticism are the most important fields of study"
Unless the person has access to communal fields of food... I was thinking public orchards etc. was a great answer too. On Mar 29, 2013, at 3:43 PM, Glenn moyer wrote: > > > "Very nicely put! I feel inspired" > > Yes, it's good to talk with you publicly about this. With the swirling mass > of nonsense and terrible misery around the planet, it's important for all of > us to remember that we humans have tremendous goodness and possibilities > somewhere inside of all of us. This was the teaching of buddha, jesus, and > many others. We aren't inherintly evil, but we have learned to do evil and > ignore it. If evil is actually consturcted in the world, we need to be > inspired to deconstruct it, and optimistic that radical systemic changes > could let us live up to our true potential as humans living together. I > whole heartedly believe that! > > > But if we're going to live closely in civilization beyond isolated tribal > affiliations, the study of ethics and literary criticism are the most > important fields of study for all citizens! These disciplines have been > attacked as useless and threats to power abuse, my entire adult lifetime! > What I describe as mass insanity, I believe, is enabled by our societal > ignorance or amnesia about the building blocks for justice and equality. > > It's essential that we remain courageous and speak out against deception and > manipulation, whatever the personal costs. In the midst of omnipresent > gladitorial combat, we need to shine the light on processes, ethics, etc. and > reject the demands of the culture of spectacle and combat. > > Right here in the neighborhood, we saw how basic foundational principles of > democracy, transparency and inclusion of all, were denied without debate (via > fallacies of logic, voyuerism, and fear), and turned into a bizarre > spectacle. We are paying the prices in many ways. I made lots of mistakes > fighting this tide and suffered too, but I'm glad I never stopped trying! > > Power to the people! > Glenn > PS: Pray for Julian, Bradley, Aaron, Leonard and the two million Americans > in prisons > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Richard Conrad > Sent: Mar 29, 2013 12:21 PM > To: Glenn moyer > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [UC] Greenwald on ad hominem, Guardian > > Very nicely put! I feel inspired. > On Mar 29, 2013, at 9:53 AM, Glenn moyer wrote: > >> >> >> "profound critics often agree but joust and fight for personal positions, >> not seeking agreements as much as victories. Could both aggressive >> dismissing and coalescing be in our genes?" >> >> That's precisely what corporate media insists as an absolute truth-endless, >> ruthless competition as the only human nature. But, I believe huuman nature >> allows a great range of possibilities. >> >> In the mass insanity we've embraced, we believe there is something natural >> about the propaganda and distractions we're fed by the competition we view >> in the powerful corporate media. We don't watch news, for example, we watch >> brands, largely keeping the masses equally divided as Republicans and >> Democrats. With their screaming pundits, they keep us equally balanced, as >> partisan supporters, while using issues and priorities designed to keep us >> distracted from the big targets and at each otherrs throats. >> >> It's easy to see victory as the only principle, when you get caught up in >> the mass insanity surrounding us. Yes, I think it's in the range of human >> possibilities to be driven for victories at all costs and we watch it on TV, >> but I strongly believe it is primarily learned behavior, and that there is >> another completely natural, and stronger pull, toward human cooperation. >> >> But I don't think it stands a chance as long as we allow deception and power >> to make truth and reconciliation impossible. >> >> That takes us back to Greenwald's analysis. It's vital that assiduous >> citizens learn to see logical fallacies like ad hominem. When people are >> denied the truth and power imbalances make debate and discussion impossible, >> people need to recognize that the disempowered side has not been refuted so >> much as beaten. Too often, people are brain washed to judge those >> engagements as if they were "fair fights" like a football match. The very >> idea of logical fallacies is therein nulliified!!! (Greenwald's point: The >> powerful propaganda wins without ever being refuted!) >> >> Best, >> Glenn >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Richard Conrad >> Sent: Mar 28, 2013 10:19 PM >> To: Glenn moyer >> Cc: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [UC] Greenwald on ad hominem, Guardian >> >> That and health of community issues you have been citing; responsibility >> issues and questions, fairness concerns, etc. >> though I find that behind your back and when not feeling they are in >> competition, profound critics often agree but joust and fight for personal >> positions, not seeking agreements as much as victories. Could both >> aggressive dismissing and coalescing be in our genes? >> >> On Mar 27, 2013, at 7:58 AM, Glenn moyer wrote: >> >>> From the Guardian: >>> >>> "One very common tactic for enforcing political orthodoxies is to malign >>> the character, "style" and even mental health of those who challenge them. >>> The most extreme version of this was an old Soviet favorite: to declare >>> political dissidents mentally ill and put them in hospitals..." >>> >>> >>> "...But what is at play here is this destructive dynamic that the more one >>> dissents from political orthodoxies, the more personalized, style-focused >>> and substance-free the attacks become. That's because once someone becomes >>> sufficiently critical of establishment pieties, the goal is not merely to >>> dispute their claims but to silence them. That's accomplished by demonizing >>> the person on personality and style grounds to the point where huge numbers >>> of people decide that nothing they say should even be considered, let alone >>> accepted. It's a sorry and anti-intellectual tactic, to be sure, but a >>> brutally effective one" >>> >>> >>> Everyday, there are important specific issues to bring to an informed >>> citizenry in the neighborhood. So why is this Glenn Greenwald analysis the >>> most important topic for people to consider here in the upscale UCD >>> village? Why are neighbors so terrified to engage in meaningful discussion >>> about the power structures transforming the neighborhood, city , and >>> country into an inverted totalitarian corporate state??? Is it only the >>> censorship exemplified by UCneighbors, founded by the University of >>> Pennsylvannia, which causes the silence of locals? >>> >>> I remember finding it amazing that neighbors would silently watch me face >>> year's of personal attacks, while "community leaders" would never ever >>> refute the truths I brought to the public! >>> >>> >>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/23/noam-chomsky-guardian-personality >>> ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named >>> "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see . >> >> > >
