EPTUS Politics Mega-thread - Page 8520
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Read the rules in the OP before posting, please. In order to ensure that this thread continues to meet TL standards and follows the proper guidelines, we will be enforcing the rules in the OP more strictly. Be sure to give them a re-read to refresh your memory! The vast majority of you are contributing in a healthy way, keep it up! NOTE: When providing a source, explain why you feel it is relevant and what purpose it adds to the discussion if it's not obvious. Also take note that unsubstantiated tweets/posts meant only to rekindle old arguments can result in a mod action. | ||
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
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Liquid`Jinro
Sweden33719 Posts
On August 22 2017 21:59 Plansix wrote: I want to echo that Atlas Shrugged is one of the most tiresome books I have ever interacted with. She could have just cut the novel part and had the objectivist rant at the end. I tried to read it once at like 15 or so, but only made it a few pages. On the other hand, Harry Potter rewritten in the image of Ayn Rand is one of the best things I've seen on the internet: http://the-toast.net/2014/05/27/ayn-rands-harry-potter-sorcerers-stone/ | ||
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
On August 23 2017 00:08 Liquid`Jinro wrote: I tried to read it once at like 15 or so, but only made it a few pages. On the other hand, Harry Potter rewritten in the image of Ayn Rand is one of the best things I've seen on the internet: http://the-toast.net/2014/05/27/ayn-rands-harry-potter-sorcerers-stone/ This is amazing. “Of course you don’t,” said Harry affectionately. “This principle holds that we should interact with people on the basis of the values we can trade with them – values of all sorts, including common interests in art, sports or music, similar philosophical outlooks, political beliefs, sense of life, and more. Dead people have no value according to the trader principle.” “But they gave birth to y–“ “I made myself, Ron,” Harry said firmly. Harry spends one year at Hogwarts and then just becomes a super rich muggle selling low grade potions. | ||
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ZerOCoolSC2
8982 Posts
Professor Snape stood at the front of the room, sort of Jewishly. “There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don’t expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who possess, the predisposition…I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death.” Best part right at the beginning. | ||
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Mohdoo
United States15686 Posts
On August 23 2017 00:08 Liquid`Jinro wrote: I tried to read it once at like 15 or so, but only made it a few pages. On the other hand, Harry Potter rewritten in the image of Ayn Rand is one of the best things I've seen on the internet: http://the-toast.net/2014/05/27/ayn-rands-harry-potter-sorcerers-stone/ I had to read a lot of it in college. It's hilarious how much of it was like: "Ok, so because of this premise..." *400 lines of argument* And of the like 3 basic premises she discusses, not a single one makes any tiny bit of sense. The whole comparison to animals thing in particular. | ||
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ticklishmusic
United States15977 Posts
Also there's a whole bunch of Ayn Rand Harry Potter rewrites - Reddit post with a bunch of links | ||
Falling
Canada11349 Posts
However, Rand's implementation still doesn't make sense because the Taggart brother is an on the ground owner- I think you need to be in a bureaucratic position, a few steps removed from the actual running of a railroad to make the sort of decisions that the Taggart brother was making (in addition to needing to be a full-blown revolutionary Marxist ideologue rather than simply a liberal Democrat with aspirations of a more equal society). And even then, whatever valid criticism of revolutionary Marxism she had, it was misplaced to pin it on America. An alternative history where actual revolutionary Marxism sweeps America would've been more interesting (though still difficult to understand why it would occur considering the high standard of living.) On one hand, I'm glad I read it so I know what it's about when people praise it. On the other hand, it was a real slog to get through. | ||
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KwarK
United States42653 Posts
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
On August 23 2017 01:34 KwarK wrote: The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind are a much more enjoyable non self aware parody of Randism. If I recall correctly the protagonist defeats communism with the power of American Football. This is accurate and also terrible. But then again, the series was sort of bro-nerd fantasy, complete with leather clad BSM lady villains and...fuck that thing was terrible. | ||
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Nebuchad
Switzerland12172 Posts
On August 23 2017 01:34 KwarK wrote: The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind are a much more enjoyable non self aware parody of Randism. If I recall correctly the protagonist defeats communism with the power of American Football. It's massive crap, like even my 13-year old fantasy-loving self should have realized what a pile of crap it is and I'm a little annoyed that he didn't. At some point the protagonist kills a bunch of unarmed pacifists because they don't have the moral clarity to join his army against evil. He does get some excellent parodies too, which apparently comes with the territory: http://sandstormreviews.blogspot.ch/2006/08/goodkind-parodies.html Obligatory mention of my favourite quote from any interview ever: "Say you drive to your local fast food restaurant, and order a value meal. You pay your money, and proceed to the next window. Routine. Mundane. Predictable. But after you''ve driven away, and dug into your bag, instead of a burger, you find a succulent filet mignon. Many people would be initially put out by this. ""What is this? This isn''t what I ordered (expected....)"" The routine is broken, and a foreign element, surprise, has been introduced. The natural response is negative. People are creatures of habit, afer all. But then you stop and think. ""Wow. I just got a filet mignon for $2.99! Cool!"" This, in a nutshell, is much the same reaction some might experience after reading the Sword of Truth." | ||
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Nevuk
United States16280 Posts
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
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KwarK
United States42653 Posts
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brian
United States9617 Posts
On August 23 2017 01:45 Plansix wrote: I saw that yesterday and said "let them eat cake" outloud. Also that outfit is like 3-4 mortgage payments if you include the bag. adorably out of touch | ||
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
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Sermokala
United States13924 Posts
On August 22 2017 15:08 IgnE wrote: I need a citation for "nuclear family with wage earner" working throughout all of recorded human history. Wait. Are you a stay-at-home dad? How does it offend you like GH is offended by racism? I mean nowadays we have the "two wage earner family who pay servants to raise their kids" working for the top half of us that pay taxes. It's like Edwardian England. You don't need a citation for a basic premise. I can't imagine where I would begin to start citing examples of the male providing for the family while the female raiseing the children. It offends me that you would call my mom and so many other moms a slave. I enjoyed spending time with my mom when I was a child I'm sorry if you didn't. See its one thing to advocate for government subsidized day care but its another to shit on peoples families and call people slaves. A lot of people are paid servants for someone else at times its the basis of our economy. That make manditory schooling and daycare "paying servants to raise the kids". This is one of the easy reasons to point to why liberals lose all the time. You can't be happy with just advocating for subsidies for single moms and for day care. You have to go and call those single moms and stay at home moms a slave. | ||
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Nebuchad
Switzerland12172 Posts
On August 23 2017 01:55 Plansix wrote: And then a wizard shows up might as well be that entire series. The worst part about nerd media is suddenly realizing that the entire book is just political fan fic populated by whatever flavor of women the author/director wants to fuck. It gets super weird in TV. Please see all of Joss Whedon for reference. In Goodkind's case it would be BDSM and rape fantasy then, which is... most likely completely accurate actually. | ||
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
Her husband made all of that money off of buying up defunct mortgages, foreclosing for nickles on the dollar and flipping them. But he did it from afar through wall street, so its fine and we shouldn't blame him. The invisible hand provides. | ||
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IgnE
United States7681 Posts
On August 23 2017 01:29 Falling wrote: Yeah... I wrote a big ol' blog on why I didn't think Atlas Shrugged worked very well as a novel- a lot of the villainous characters were too transparently representations of ideas rather than characters in their own right. Having said that, I think I'd amend my critique on train building. From reading Gulag Archipelago, the central planners really were that stupid in overruling their engineers- with just how thoroughly they imprisoned their competent engineers and intellectuals, it's actually a wonder to me that the USSR functioned as well as it did. However, Rand's implementation still doesn't make sense because the Taggart brother is an on the ground owner- I think you need to be in a bureaucratic position, a few steps removed from the actual running of a railroad to make the sort of decisions that the Taggart brother was making (in addition to needing to be a full-blown revolutionary Marxist ideologue rather than simply a liberal Democrat with aspirations of a more equal society). And even then, whatever valid criticism of revolutionary Marxism she had, it was misplaced to pin it on America. An alternative history where actual revolutionary Marxism sweeps America would've been more interesting (though still difficult to understand why it would occur considering the high standard of living.) On one hand, I'm glad I read it so I know what it's about when people praise it. On the other hand, it was a real slog to get through. Everyone knows The Fountainhead is her true masterpiece. You should check out Andrei Platonov's The Foundation Pit to complement your Gulag Archipelago. | ||
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Plansix
United States60190 Posts
On August 23 2017 01:57 Nebuchad wrote: In Goodkind's case it would be BDSM and rape fantasy then, which is... most likely completely accurate actually. Don’t get me wrong. I love Buffy and other stuff by Joss. But it doesn’t mean I won’t be critical of the work. Especially with how a lot of media is leaking into politics more and more. But Goodkin is teenage boy trash. I don’t think there was a single female character in those books that wasn’t made to bang some guy. And that was before the entire thing went full Rand and fight communism with magic mustard gas. Edit; I would rather read Goodkin than Rand. Though Zack Snyder said he wanted to direct the fountain head, and I would totally watch that while drinking heavily. | ||
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