It's a bit silly of me to do this since the majority of my readers are an intellectually elevated and well-informed bunch - more so than me - but still wanted to go over something.
Reading comprehension is part of the critical thinking process.
Let's take one of my posts on Wisconsin. In it, I asked a question to readers about whether they felt there was an 'assault on unions.' I didn't offer my own opinion yet the responses were directed at me as if I did. Saying "I don't understand' or that 'I'm a piece of shit' is beyond lacking critical thinking. It's a failure of proper reading comprehension.
I love the "you don't know anything" line. That's the point of this blog. People who think they know and cling to their positions, know little in the end.
That I link about it is not a reflection of my opinion. That's projection. It's very possible to link to things one may not agree with.
If you don't make a connection or something is unclear, it's not a signal to go beserk with all sorts of accusations, counterfactuals and ad hominen attack. Sometimes it's a mistake, sometimes clarification helps to maintain integrity.
I welcome, heck yearn, for challenging debating. It can even get heated. However, debating is an art form and commands a certain marriage of passion and logic. Anyone can "debate" and still suck at it just like "anyone" can "play" soccer and suck at it.
Read, assess, answer while staying true to the content of the question.
That's the hard part.
As you were.
Are all Canadians suffering from trisomy-21? I'm not saying they are... I'm just asking questions.
ReplyDeleteSometimes one can ask a question that so blatantly ignores basic realities that it makes a reader wonder... "Is this guy sane?"
Again, I'm not saying you're insane, I'm just asking.
And other times, one can take a post in the greater context, like seeing yet another unwarranted and out of context comment being blown out of proportion. Is The Commentator a black-hating racist who seethes with anger for Obama, who accuses him of perhaps being... I don't know... precisely what his predecessor clearly was? I'm not saying you are, I'm asking.
I know you're not retarded, I know you're not insane, and I know you're not racist... but the questions must be asked, because I can't know anything, right?
Let's face it: you have access to all the same information I have. I may have a cousin who lives in Madison, but it's not like even he has priviliged access to top secret information. I know this: The right wing has been steadily attacking the ability of individual working Americans to stand up for themselves by constantly attacking and disbanding unions, going back to Reagan's dissolution of the air-traffic controller's union.
I also know this: it's goal is not to cut budgets (because unions are not why the government wastes billions on "defense" and nuclear weapons and corporate welfare and pet projects for campaign donors). The goal is to disenfranchise the working American and make him/her impotent in the face of businesses which seek to exploit them.
But the fact is... even though I patiently spelled this out for you and never attacked you (I just asked questions...), none of this will stick and I anticipate that the next time unions are being targetted by Rethuglicans that you will (like an Alzheimer's patient) act confused and ask all the same questions again.
It's just not worth bing civil. I can't change your mind, I can't fix your inability to grasp simple concepts, I really can't do anything but post a cathartic attack which makes me feel better, and ignorant people be damned if their feelings get hurt along the way.
I don't think there is a problem with reading comprehension here, it's in research and writing comprehension. Are you capable of even analyzing something you don't understand without blatantly asking all the wrong questions, in an attempt to skew what's happening in Wisconsin as some sort of act of federal infringement by Obama.
The last sentence lacks a question mark.
ReplyDeleteExercise time.
ReplyDeleteCan someone else please point out to Bret once again the two errors he makes?
I'm tired of him and as of now, he's dead to me.
Or as Mr. Francois Tremblay said, "what a waste of time this guy is."
ReplyDeleteYou don't debate Bret. You rail in circular logic convinced of your version of facts and reality. Even if someone comes with superior knowledge and facts you would manage to dance around it because you're a master of derailing things.
It's enough. I'm embarrassed for my other readers to have to read this crap.
It's not Nazism (only a deadbeat thinker would assert this), it's me protecting the integrity of this blog. If you don't like it then move on, Bret. Or if you take issue, then start stating your case better. You do from time to time but only when you take your meds it seems.
Gentlemen, good thing you are not face to face thus out of harm's way. I do always agree with T.C. and I strongly disagree with Governor Wangler. However he was duly elected by a plurality of citizens and seems to be doing what he announced he would do.
ReplyDeleteHence he seems to be doing democratically things that are undemocratic, at least this is how I see it.
I just hope I catch too much cross fire.
All I know is someone has to pay the bills.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, there will be casualties.
We've seen it time and again.
It reminds me of companies. In good times they swell their spending and when times are tough they look to increase EPS the easiest way they can: Cutting jobs. Meanwhile they may neglect more serious issues that continue to threaten them in the future.
ReplyDeletegoing back to Reagan's dissolution of the air-traffic controller's union.
ReplyDeleteGod bless Reagan for that one! I was happy then that he fired those bastards and I'm still happy about it! One of the few really good things he ever did.