[Ron] The argument you and Arlo engage in seems to be a personal one... [Arlo] If it seems that way, Ron, than you have misconstrued what's going on. This is an argument against talk-radio bigotry and fear masquerading as "inquiry into Pirsig's works". It is an argument against the types of moronic distractive tactics that make up the sum total of Platt's engagement here. It's about years of frustration watching the same ridiculous anti-intellectual diatribes being made _as if for the first time_, and years of dealing with the ongoing, ubiquitous stupidity of "evil multiculturalism in the commie academy". There is simple NO WAY to counter this moronic rhetoric apart from outright assault. Oh, and ignoring it, as many here do, but I find a personal level of embarrassment in seeing this crap posted here, and after a while of ignoring it I have to call it out for what it is.
Consider, why is no one else outright mortified that a contributer to this forum expresses the comment that our civilization's demise will come "as our population becomes Hispanic"? I thought this is the MoQ, not the MoKKK. Yeah, I know, many are just ignoring it. Sure. I get that. Its fine to ignore stupidity. But when people read these archives and find a contributor lamenting the population of America becoming Hispanic, it is undeniable shame for us all. And make no mistake, they can run and hide and wrap themselves in cloaked language, but you nailed it when you wondered if that what Platt was really saying. Yes, Ron, it is. This is why it is NOT about "ranking cultures based on their intellectual openness or responsiveness to DQ". Hell, as you say everyone here is okay with that, certainly I am, but it is about placing _white American culture_ at the top. That's what they want. Not a ranking that may place America third in some regards, fifth in another, and maybe in first in some. Oh no, it has to be the unabashed orgasmic proclamation of Absolute Moral Supremacy of White American Culture. I admire your ongoing patience with Platt, god knows if you read the archives from years back you'll see that I tried this road. I did. Maybe my tolerance for such deceptive bunk is lower than it should be. I am a far from perfect person, but when the perennial nonsense about "evil multiculturalism and the commie academy" came up, coupled with the embarrassing stupidity of Ham's comment, I simply can't ignore it. Now, having put this into one email, I will respond with substance to your insightful comments in another. Ron: I respect that, I guess it's just difficult for me to make that distinction with Platt yet. As you say you have more experience with him than I and perhaps you are on the money. I agree with him that some things are better than others, that's value. It wouldn't be if it didn't function like that. We all agree. For some reason there is this unsaid tension that drives him to assert this and manifest an opposition in what is said here. To me it subtly rings of the SOM culture conflict. The Racists and bigots I've run into personally are unabashed and proud and make no bones about how they feel, Platt doesn't quite fit the M.O. in this way . What seems to burn his bunions is cultural degradation the nihilism vs. virtue ....disaffected vs. care that sort of thing. he may grasp at some talk show rhetoric to put this out but that's the tone I get for the most part. I'd rather like to believe this is his intention and not just out right prejudice. It just kinda seems unreasonable to have such ugly conflicts on a forum like this but then again perhaps it is cathartic to work them out here in public. Because this is what MoQ is really up against, Prejudice of every sort. Breaking these patterns effectively is our business. Rationally breaking them is more dynamic than static conflict in my experience. Static conflict just digs em in and cements their pov. in effect you are helping to create what you hate. I'm probably the LAST person to be giving this sort of sagely statement cause my knee-jerk is fight fire with fire. But I'm learning, with all your help, I am learning. I have grown immensely having been apart of this discuss group, that's certain. Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
