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Do you think political discourse is becoming "name-calling" more and more, or do you believe it's always been this way? Is this good or bad?
The latest news is that a Florida politician called another official a "K Street whore":
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hKv7iDNW3S3mVN7dD8ZVm9rCy0dQD9BJIANG0
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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hKv7iDNW3S3mVN7dD8ZVm9rCy0dQD9BJIANG0
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October 27, 2009 05:49 PM
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Not only do I think it has always been this way, I think in the past it was worse at times. Alexander Hamilton, a member of the Constitutional Congress was killed in a duel over politics in 1804. Now I don't know about you, but I'd rather be called a name than killed in a duel!
Here's a list of politicians who were killed in duels
http://politicalgraveyard.com/death/duels.html
The freedom to call names (and worse) is good in a way because it tells so much about those who do it, and it tells even more about those who refuse.
The internet has in many places become a cesspool of anonymous hate, which I suppose invariably leads to the question "Is the internet affecting real life, or merely mimicking it. I would say the best answer is"both". The internet and real life seem to be working together to egg on ordinary citizens to ever-increasing levels of incivility and rudeness.
Where will it end? Or will it?
One by one we must take responsibility for our own actions and refuse to be drawn in by the dregs at the bottom of the manners barrel. We can control our own behavior, and I believe that in time, people will begin looking for that breath of fresh air that is not poisoned by irrational hate speech.
I know, people say I'm a dreamer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw
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Not only do I think it has always been this way, I think in the past it was worse at times. Alexander Hamilton, a member of the Constitutional Congress was killed in a duel over politics in 1804. Now I don't know about you, but I'd rather be called a name than killed in a duel!
Here's a list of politicians who were killed in duels
http://politicalgraveyard.com/death/duels.html
The freedom to call names (and worse) is good in a way because it tells so much about those who do it, and it tells even more about those who refuse.
The internet has in many places become a cesspool of anonymous hate, which I suppose invariably leads to the question "Is the internet affecting real life, or merely mimicking it. I would say the best answer is"both". The internet and real life seem to be working together to egg on ordinary citizens to ever-increasing levels of incivility and rudeness.
Where will it end? Or will it?
One by one we must take responsibility for our own actions and refuse to be drawn in by the dregs at the bottom of the manners barrel. We can control our own behavior, and I believe that in time, people will begin looking for that breath of fresh air that is not poisoned by irrational hate speech.
I know, people say I'm a dreamer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okd3hLlvvLw
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October 27, 2009 11:13 PM
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Political discourse throughout all of history, be it in the U.S. or elsewhere, has always involved harsh and bitter exchanges, accusations and name calling. The competitive nature of the political mechanism practically dictate that.
History tends to filter this out for us and we are left looking only at that which is contemporary to our existence. We forget, or ignore that in past political generations there has been ugly, dirty mud slinging.
In the end, is this good? Well, it's not pleasant to see, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. Just as much as it can provide some short term benefit to the politician to use, it is also a double edged sword which often maims the one who used it in the first place.
I chalk it off as the mucky residue of our system of government, in order to get the good final product, one always has to tolerate and deal with the residue.
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History tends to filter this out for us and we are left looking only at that which is contemporary to our existence. We forget, or ignore that in past political generations there has been ugly, dirty mud slinging.
In the end, is this good? Well, it's not pleasant to see, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. Just as much as it can provide some short term benefit to the politician to use, it is also a double edged sword which often maims the one who used it in the first place.
I chalk it off as the mucky residue of our system of government, in order to get the good final product, one always has to tolerate and deal with the residue.
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