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Politics : Polite Political Discussion- is it Possible? An Experiment. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: epicure who wrote (1318)	9/4/2006 9:32:35 AM
From: Bread Upon The Water	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1695

It has been fun, but I think for a lot of people these boards are more than that. They want their ideas to prevail, to effect opinion, to go into the great raging tide of public discourse that seeks to influence commentators, government officials, writers, opinion makers. In short, they want to make a difference and possibly think that their idea, opinion etc. can be influential. Whether we actually can is an open question, but it is in the nature of our democracy that people will think that they can and will continue to try. As for Ron, I would agree that his strategy is excellent if one is attending a dinner party. However, I would think it unwise to abandon politics to the the "screamers" (if that is what you & he are saying). If we do that, where will the rational policies in government come from? Lastly, have you heard of the "Doomsday" clock? This is a figurative clock that is set every year by a group of scientists (can't remember which group). Usually it is set somewhere between 11;45PM and midnight with Midnight representing "Doomsday"----usually thought of as a nuclear conflagration. The time in between 11:45 PM and Midnight represents the perceived tension in the world that could set off the conflagration. During the cold war the clock was set very near Midnight, but before 9/11 it had slipped back some. Now I don't know where it is set myself right now, but I would guess that it has advanced closer to midnight. During the cold war you had (arguably) rational governments in control of nuclear weapons. Now (arguably) the threat exists that non-rational entities will come into control of them. Hence, the increasing odds of a doomsday scenario. IMHO, this IS something to worry about and this is where the psyche of the race and conceptions about human archetypes does, I believe, enter into the equations. Yes, we are plastic but dammed complex plastic. Plastic will not bend forever. At some point it breaks. And our job, everyone's on the planet, is to keep it from getting to that point. That is what SHOULD matter. And if discussion boards such as this one, are one more item that helps in that process---keeping the plastic within the breaking point---then it means it is more than just "fun".