Neoteric wrote:
] wanna get drunk w/ a bunch of strangers in different cities?
] Come on out and drinkliberally.
]
] --timball

When I saw this at first it sounded interesting. An opportunity to meet people who want to talk about politics who I might agree with on some level. However, digging into the forums the folks seem to hate the current government with the same uncritical absolution that right wingers have in loving it.

I think I'd get along here about as well as I would at the weekly Republican duck hunt. Maybe at first it would be easier, as I would "look" like a liberal. Maybe I could avoid revealing that I'm not a socialist and I didn't opposed the war in Afghanistan... But inevitably they would pile on to some poorly thought out advocacy mission or try to sign me on to some gross Democratic party legislative initiative which aims to restrict my personal freedom for the benefit of one of their activist groups, and things would quickly boil into argument.

The problem is that both the left and the right wish to restrict my personal freedom in one way or another, and the libertarians want to privatize the freeway system based on oversimplified ideas about market economics. I have no political family. I have no party.

For those that do, Drink the Koolaid liberally, and enjoy!

Decius wrote:
] When I saw this at first it sounded interesting.
]
] I think I'd get along here about as well as I would at the
] weekly Republican duck hunt.
]
] For those that do, Drink the Koolaid liberally, and enjoy!

In Pasadena yesterday, a man on the street was accosting passersby with "Hey! We're stopping Bush out here!" and "We need your help!"

He had the look of an accomplished young professional who ought to have much better things to be doing with his time.

As it turns out, he was asking people to sign a petition against the privatization of Social Security.

I was tempted to suggest that he actually pick up a newspaper and read it some time, as his misplaced activism seemed a bit out of step with reality, like the people who are still driving around with Dennis Kucinich bumper stickers on their cars and who still Just Say No to War in Iraq.

Liberals are like that, I guess.

"Seek peace in the world today! End the Korean War NOW!"

Decius wrote:
]
] I think I'd get along here about as well as I would at the
] weekly Republican duck hunt. Maybe at first it would be
] easier, as I would "look" like a liberal. Maybe I could avoid
] revealing that I'm not a socialist and I didn't opposed the
] war in Afghanistan... But inevitably they would pile on to
] some poorly thought out advocacy mission or try to sign me on
] to some gross Democratic party legislative initiative which
] aims to restrict my personal freedom for the benefit of one of
] their activist groups, and things would quickly boil into
] argument.
]
] The problem is that both the left and the right wish to
] restrict my personal freedom in one way or another, and the
] libertarians want to privatize the freeway system based on
] oversimplified ideas about market economics. I have no
] political family. I have no party.
]
] For those that do, Drink the Koolaid liberally, and enjoy!

but aren't forums and blogospheres and other echo chambers just places where the fringe have the loudest voice? I say you should go to one of the drink-o-wonks and really elbow it up. Give them half a chance, even if you don't have a political party at least it's a party.

Neoteric wrote:
] but aren't forums and blogospheres and other echo chambers
] just places where the fringe have the loudest voice?

Yup, and its a problem, because there is no dialog between people with different views. They go off into their own corners. There needs to be a place where they have dialog. Their present isolation breeds disrespect.

Decius wrote:
] Neoteric wrote:
] ] but aren't forums and blogospheres and other echo chambers
] ] just places where the fringe have the loudest voice?
]
] Yup, and its a problem, because there is no dialog between
] people with different views. They go off into their own
] corners. There needs to be a place where they have dialog.
] Their present isolation breeds disrespect.

Therefore you -not- showing up the the drinking liberally thing just feeds the circus. I don't actually care if you go or not, but am kicking ideas around turning online "things" into real world motivation...