Presidential election, 2016

[Warren Dew]

(12-05-2016, 09:08 AM)Bob Butler 54 Wrote: Sometimes, it is hard to tell.  What is the difference between presenting a genuine issue and presenting propaganda?  I see it as motivation.  Depending on the media and the writer, there are different goals that effect presentation and content.  A politician is serving his own interest, often with modest concern about truth.  Thus Trump will regularly tell whoppers.  Media outlets are often out to sell content, or to generate hits, and will say whatever their intended audience wants to hear.  On a forum like this one, some sincerely care about pushing a specific partisan position.  Some few might be interested in learning stuff.  A lot are here for entertainment, are out to score points without admitting they have lost points.

In the above few entries, I was making the point that the blue faction perceives the red faction as no less autocratic dictators than the other way around.  Rather than acknowledge or discuss the point, you pulled a pivot, shifting the conversation to a point of linguistics that has nothing to do with what we were discussing.  This makes me think you are a points score keeper rather than someone who is interested in listening and learning.

If you pay attention to how the thread developed, you'll see that my comment was in response to a question from Classic Xer regarding how the blue side tends to argue.  Since he and I are largely on the same side, there could hardly be an intent to deceive.  I did assume some shared knowledge, as Eric noticed, given Classic Xer and I are, again, on the same side.

Far from it being me pivoting, you barged in and started babbling about things that were irrelevant to the conversation between Classic Xer and me, perhaps because you lack the shared knowledge that was a basis for our discussion.  In the process, you did happen to agree with the specific point I made to Classic Xer, confirming that I was merely relaying the truth to him.

Based on your having had this problem with others, I think perhaps you would be well advised to pay a little more attention to the quoting and the thread of conversation.  When I or others quote someone, we're generally responding specifically to the point they made.  When you quote someone, it will be interpreted the same way, because that's how forums work, even if that's not your intent.  If you want to introduce a new point that you'd like to see responses on, don't start with a quote; just start with your point.  If you want to introduce a new point  that you are interested in getting some specific person's view on, ask for that person's view, but be aware that they may not have the time to respond to every post.

Quote:find this argument absurd.  The spiral of violence is still way low.  Black folks and cops are the common targets, not elites.  Very few elites are hiring bodyguards as they are not at this time concerned for their safety.

If you think billionaiires or even major movie stars wander around without bodyguards, you're seriously detached from reality.

Quote:You've been going at the economic discussion hot and heavy.  Have you gotten anywhere?

Yes.  Not with you, perhaps, but I and some others have learned things.