This is the post in which I, Michael Lawton, will attempt to piss off as many people as possible, further ensuring any future political aspirations will be inevitably and irreparably coloured by the insane ramblings of his 29 year old ignorant, egotistical, pathetic need for self-important outbursts.
These people actually exist!
OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a little bit, but the point I’d like to make is how difficult it seems to be these days for anyone to hold and voice an opinion on something without worrying about coming across as a fool. Magnifying this is just how foolish those that DO proudly and loudly express themselves tend to appear. The rational tend to speak more softly, acknowledge that there may be other valid opinions, admit when information is not perfect or complete, then try to honestly explain why they came to the conclusion they reached. The foolish wave placards, shout slogans, and typically have little to no understanding of any information that does not conform to the opinion they, in most cases, were directed to have by another party with their own agenda.
Example: I do not think that the United States nor it’s partner countries should cease their military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan at the current time. *note: I am Canadian, and while we are actively involved in Afghanistan, we are only peripherally supporting the forces in Iraq.
Talk about a fun one to come out in favour of! It’s a little easier to have this discussion in Canada, since there isn’t as massive a social/political schism around the issue as there is in the US. On the other hand, being one step removed tends to make it easier for those who chose to do so to stereotype: Stay in Iraq = Bush supporter = crazed ignorant racist uneducated gun-toting ultra-neo-conservative super-fundamentalist-Evangelical-Christian redneck, right? Think there’s any chance I’m basing my opinion solely on what I consider the likely ramifications of withdrawing an arguably stabilizing force from a volatile and demonstrably UNstable region?
Does this mean that I agree 100% with the decisions that led to the West’s present involvement in these conflicts?
Does this have anything to do with my opinions on gay marriage, immigration, capital gains tax, oil tariffs, environmental policy, copyright reform, domestic surveillance, racial profiling, gun control, or tie colour?
Example: I think that the current US administration is an embarrassment to all the things they claim to stand for; an embarrassment to conservatives, an embarrassment to Christians, and an embarrassment to Americans. *note: remember, I’m Canadian, which means that I do have a filtered view of the political landscape in our neighbouring country. I do hope that I have a balanced enough perspective to take what I see in a proper context.
This is most likely the wrong place to invite debate over such an issue. While the breadth of the internet offers the potentially greatest diversity of opinion and input, the sad fact is that the most obnoxious contributors simply exhaust the enthusiasm of those interested in honest discourse (see John Gabriel’s Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory, or pretty much any comment thread or popular forum that touches on the slightest political or cultural activity).
I love a good honest passionate debate between people able to separate their emotions from their discourse. The mark of a truly skilled debater is one who can choose any side of a discussion and offer meaningful, intelligent insight, regardless of his or her personal feelings on the matter.
“Stay at home in your mind. Don’t recite other people’s opinions. I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
“And it’s my opinion, and that’s only my opinion, you are a lunatic. Just because there are a few hundred other people sharing your lunacy with you does not make you any saner.†~Oleg Kiselev
“Opinions are like assholes. Everyone’s got one, and they all stink.” ~unknown
If you could blow up the world with the flick of a switch
Would you do it?
If you could make everybody poor just so you could be rich
Would you do it?
If you could watch everybody work while you just lay on your back
Would you do it?
If you could take all the love without giving any back
Would you do it?
And so we cannot know ourselves or what we’d really do…
With all your power
With all your power
With all your power
What would you do?
If you could make your own money and then give it to everybody
Would you do it?
If you knew all the answers and could give it to the masses
Would you do it?
No no no no no no are you crazy?
It’s a very dangerous thing to do exactly what you want
Because you cannot know yourself or what you’d really do
With all your power
With all your power
With all your power
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song by The Flaming Lips
For the record, no that joke’s never too far (and yes, I own the t-shirt), and I totally know what you mean about your car (see my personal example to the right).
