Centophobia.


Most truthful thing I’ve heard this week.
April 12, 2006, 12:51 am
Filed under: Media, Television Shows, Truths

From Boston Legal: after Alan and Denny haven't been speaking due to differing points of view regarding the war in Iraq.

Alan Shore: No matter my opinion about the war, I think there is something we can both agree on, and that is that this war is complicated. And I think complicated things, need to be talked about.

When people have strong opinions about the issues that really matter, they should be able to talk about those opinions openly. Complicated issues should be debated and discussed.

Obviously the government has had a bit to do with this shutdown of dialogue, with its use of phrases like "You're either with us or against us". Which basically says that anyone who says anything even remotely antiwar is (like a terrorist) against us. This leads to more emotionally stirring ways of saying much the same thing: you are "unpatriotic", "unAmerican / unAustralian" and "that's not the American / Australian way", and that you are "unthankful for the thousands of soldiers who died for their country, so that you could enjoy freedom". And it is very hard to talk about issues, when people are using these tactics.

I think this technique is used in other arguments as well. What common labels do you know of that are used to shutdown alternative ideological view points?

Hippie when talking about the environment.
Communist when talking about the problems with capitalism.


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