Charles Barkley Finally Makes People Think Critically About Our Politicians

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

dank69

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
36,125
30,518
136
C'mon now ... he may never have been able to beat Jordan BUT he does know basketball!

:p
Never liked basketball so I wouldn't know. If I cared about nobody's political opinion I might make the effort to dig up whatever stupid political thing I think I remember Barkley saying in the past.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
36,730
28,907
136
Since the OP in a round about way claimed either both sides are evil or neither side is evil.

Ok let's put this one out there. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell admitted Trump caused both morally and factually the insurrection on Jan 6. The insurrection brought about by Trump supporters that led to the deaths and multiple injuries. of capitol police. The same Mitch said he would support Trump in 2024.

If the Dems have anything/anyone on this level of evil, I'm willing to listen

Being a Charles fan, I prefer him swinging a golf club or busting on the fat women of San Antonio
 

PowerEngineer

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2001
3,566
736
136
I've said this before many times - regardless of who you are I honestly feel the overwhelming majority of Americans want what's best for Americans as a whole, and that we all overall want to see our nation succeed and to build up the middle class. We're just at odds on how best to do it.

Sounds good so far. And I would really like to believe that this is true.

The politicians and their political parties are the ones that want you to divide and stay divided. It's what feeds your bias'. It's what pisses you off to the point of going out to vote instead of staying home watching Netflix all day.

Hmmmm... So it is only the self serving politicians and political parties that want to divide us?

This is what makes me fall over fucking laughing at every single insignificant idiotic incel here that loves to keep this moronic portrayal of life as "Other party bad and evil. My party gud!" as you then proceed to dance around like apes in your tribal and divisive land that borders on a cult.

And then this? It seems like you are only too happy to engage in the politics of divisiveness that you started off saying was unproductive. 😖
 

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
23,993
13,519
136
...This is what makes me fall over fucking laughing at every single insignificant idiotic incel here that loves to keep this moronic portrayal of life as "Other party bad and evil. My party gud!" as you then proceed to dance around like apes in your tribal and divisive land that borders on a cult.
Total absence of self awareness. Nada. Zip. Nothing.... sure thing little buddy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pohemi

dank69

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
36,125
30,518
136
@s0me0nesmind1 is a walking clown show. Doesn't believe in right and wrong and has no moral compass. When you are completely inconsistent it's hard to keep your positions straight. Kind of like a liar trying to remember which version to tell.
More like an inebriated shit farmer. Don't have to remember anything if you're black-out drunk most of the time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pohemi and HomerJS

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
73,286
6,351
126
All I see is celebrity virtue signaling, lol.
Hehe. “Those evil politicians always play the blame game but me, I’m completely different when I shift all moral responsibility for knowing right from wrong by blaming all of them. They are the dividers not me. I have nothing to do with such scum.”

The hate we feel for ourselves and the fear of remembering the pain we experienced to make us feel it, constantly means we will project that onto others.

“They are the ones to blame for the division I will not take responsibility for within myself.”

Naturally his words went viral. He told the lue we all want to believe.

We have the responsibility to know the difference between good and evil and we never will because we believe we already do.

The secret hides itself behind the presence of ego.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Your first two paragraphs were good, especially the first. It's too bad you have to end it with a big, fat GOPenis in your mouth.

Not to come across as overly caustic, but I don't think any of it was beneficial to political debate. When I read the first paragraph, I see what looks like pandering to the masses. It completely ignores viewpoints, but just suggests that everyone has a pure goal. To a degree, I think you can boil down the aim of people, and say that they think their goal is for the betterment of the United States. Although, I don't think you can ignore what they're trying to do. For example, there's a section of the right that keeps wanting to push laws/judgments that align with their religion regardless of whether this is acceptable or aligns with American ideals such as freedom of religion. Those are not pure motives.

As for the second paragraph, I don't think it's accurate to suggest "both sides" in regard to division. Sure, you can easily point out instances where either side won't work with the other; however, I think that tends to look too much at just the surface. It's important to understand why this happens. A good example would be the recent COVID stimulus bill. It's a surprise to no one that the original Democrat-backed bill was rebuked by the Republicans. The Republicans came back with their own version of the bill, and were rather obstinate in regard to working with the Democrats. In the end, the Democrats did remove what would be considered the Republicans strongest point of disagreement, the $15 minimum wage increase. However, even with that modification, not a single Republican voted for it regardless of how it would benefit their constituents. Ultimately, I would argue that the Republican party tends to operate in bad faith, and attempting to work with them is a lesson in futility.
 

Commodus

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2004
9,215
6,818
136
I've said this before many times - regardless of who you are I honestly feel the overwhelming majority of Americans want what's best for Americans as a whole, and that we all overall want to see our nation succeed and to build up the middle class. We're just at odds on how best to do it.

The politicians and their political parties are the ones that want you to divide and stay divided. It's what feeds your bias'. It's what pisses you off to the point of going out to vote instead of staying home watching Netflix all day.

This is what makes me fall over fucking laughing at every single insignificant idiotic incel here that loves to keep this moronic portrayal of life as "Other party bad and evil. My party gud!" as you then proceed to dance around like apes in your tribal and divisive land that borders on a cult.



(Speech starts @ 0:20)

While division is a tactic, you're also resorting to equivocation, to throwing your hands in the air instead of actually studying who's responsible for what.

Democrats do stupid things, and sometimes lean on social issues which, no matter how correct and just they are, either don't resonate with other groups or antagonize them. But there's no real dispute that Republicans are committing the more heinous acts these days.

Besides... well, much of what Trump did, you have a party that actively endorses voter suppression and, in some cases, openly supports false accusations of election fraud. It routinely opposes reproductive rights and tries to enable discrimination against the LGBT community. It preys on xenophobia and in some cases has revelled in cruelty against potential or illegal immigrants.

And while being Republican doesn't mean you're automatically bigoted, it's no secret that bigots lean toward Republican policies. Richard Spencer and David Duke love Trump, for instance. At the least, it means you don't consider elements of bigotry in the party enough of a dealbreaker to leave.

That's why I generally side with Democrats. I don't think they're perfect by any stretch, but on the whole they're pushing for inclusion, greater civil rights (as in real rights, not "I should have the right to post fake news on Facebook") and this radical concept called functional democracy. There's a certain baseline level of compassion and integrity that has faded away on the Republican side.
 

kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
28,744
40,187
136
I’m just going to leave this here:


Tee hee.


Once again n0b0dy has his own words pounded up his ass, how many times does this make? When does he care about what politicians say more than retired NBA stars? All I see is projection, as usual.

N0b0ody, do you work for Fox or some radio outlet or something? The way you always show yourself to not only be wrong, but to be a completely dishonest piece of traitor loving trash, you must be a pro doing this for a living. It's like you're proud of it. Thanks for maintaining your crazy, Americans here appreciate it.
 

pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
13,634
8,522
136
Not to come across as overly caustic, but I don't think any of it was beneficial to political debate. When I read the first paragraph, I see what looks like pandering to the masses. It completely ignores viewpoints, but just suggests that everyone has a pure goal. To a degree, I think you can boil down the aim of people, and say that they think their goal is for the betterment of the United States. Although, I don't think you can ignore what they're trying to do. For example, there's a section of the right that keeps wanting to push laws/judgments that align with their religion regardless of whether this is acceptable or aligns with American ideals such as freedom of religion. Those are not pure motives.

As for the second paragraph, I don't think it's accurate to suggest "both sides" in regard to division. Sure, you can easily point out instances where either side won't work with the other; however, I think that tends to look too much at just the surface. It's important to understand why this happens. A good example would be the recent COVID stimulus bill. It's a surprise to no one that the original Democrat-backed bill was rebuked by the Republicans. The Republicans came back with their own version of the bill, and were rather obstinate in regard to working with the Democrats. In the end, the Democrats did remove what would be considered the Republicans strongest point of disagreement, the $15 minimum wage increase. However, even with that modification, not a single Republican voted for it regardless of how it would benefit their constituents. Ultimately, I would argue that the Republican party tends to operate in bad faith, and attempting to work with them is a lesson in futility.

I have plenty of doubts about even the first paragraph (never mind how the final one is glaringly hypocritical in the context of the preceding ones - why is that other tribe so evil and tribal, not like my tribe, which is always benevolent and entirely non-tribal).

People tend to conclude what's best for the country as a whole is what happens to be best for them personally or the wider demographic categories to which they belong and identify with. I acknowledge that applies to me as well (to some degree I try to watch out for it and get beyond it, but, ultimately it's just how things are, it's just human nature, so I don't feel I'm obligated to always, in every instance, overcome that - after all, the nation state is just one group one belongs to, among many).
 

Pohemi

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2004
9,452
12,988
146
I have plenty of doubts about even the first paragraph (never mind how the final one is glaringly hypocritical in the context of the preceding ones - why is that other tribe so evil and tribal, not like my tribe, which is always benevolent and entirely non-tribal).
To be fair, I tried to ignore whom it was posted by, so at least the first paragraph read as though he was at least pretending to be objective. Obviously by the end of his post, that had flown out the window again.
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
I have plenty of doubts about even the first paragraph (never mind how the final one is glaringly hypocritical in the context of the preceding ones - why is that other tribe so evil and tribal, not like my tribe, which is always benevolent and entirely non-tribal).

People tend to conclude what's best for the country as a whole is what happens to be best for them personally or the wider demographic categories to which they belong and identify with. I acknowledge that applies to me as well (to some degree I try to watch out for it and get beyond it, but, ultimately it's just how things are, it's just human nature, so I don't feel I'm obligated to always, in every instance, overcome that - after all, the nation state is just one group one belongs to, among many).

I consider that society thrives on a good balance between selfish and selfless decisions/acts. This is due to the nature of society requiring us to give up certain freedoms for the order that society provides. (For an extreme example, I cannot just go and steal my neighbor's car because I like it.) I think that's what makes anti-mask folk so frustrating. It's asking to be inconvenienced in a minor way to help the rest of society, and they take a selfish, grandstanding approach. So, what I'm trying to get at is that I don't think it's always wrong to push for something that also benefits you. The opposite shouldn't be derided as asinine either. I had a friend ask me why I'd be willing to vote for a Democrat that would reduce defense spending when that could affect my livelihood. I told him, "I've been laid off before, and it's not fun in the slightest; however, it's the right thing to do."
 

pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
13,634
8,522
136
The thread did get me listening to youtube videos... by Gnarles Barkley. This is the first time it's occurred to me that maybe their name is a deliberate parody of the one in the OP (of whom I'd never previously heard)
 

pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
13,634
8,522
136
I consider that society thrives on a good balance between selfish and selfless decisions/acts. This is due to the nature of society requiring us to give up certain freedoms for the order that society provides. (For an extreme example, I cannot just go and steal my neighbor's car because I like it.) I think that's what makes anti-mask folk so frustrating. It's asking to be inconvenienced in a minor way to help the rest of society, and they take a selfish, grandstanding approach. So, what I'm trying to get at is that I don't think it's always wrong to push for something that also benefits you. The opposite shouldn't be derided as asinine either. I had a friend ask me why I'd be willing to vote for a Democrat that would reduce defense spending when that could affect my livelihood. I told him, "I've been laid off before, and it's not fun in the slightest; however, it's the right thing to do."

It's the "grandstanding" that is the distinctive aspect of it, if you ask me. With anti-mask nonsense as with mock-heroic posturing about some alleged absolute "free speech" (which is almost never followed-through consistently). Always pretending issues are simpler than they are in order to elevate something petty and trivial into a heroic stand.

Particularly annoying example - I keep seeing stickers and fly-posters claiming the covid pandemic is a 'hoax' and making angry anti-vaxx statements. The really infuriating part of it though is that whoever is doing it has appropriated the name of the White Rose Movement - who I am familiar with as a group of extremely courageous anti-Nazis (mostly young Catholic students, as I understand it - the Vatican and the Catholic heirarchy itself may not exactly have covered itself in glory in that era, but credit where credit is due) in the early days of the Nazi regime - who all ended up being executed or sent to death camps.

It's that self-aggrandizing posture-striking that most angers me about those stickers, whoever the heck is putting them up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dank69 and Pohemi

Motostu

Senior member
Oct 5, 2020
549
573
106
Saw this in my Facebook feed today and thought this might be an appropriate thread. It really speaks to the division we are all aware of, and seeing the other side as evil (forget about the specific topic of guns). Shawn was a friend/classmate of mine in the 80's. I hope some of this is drunk/high posting. He's really gone down the rabbit hole.facebook feed.jpg

If not appropriate for this thread, I'll remove it.

This is what I worry about; this is what I want to fix, but haven't a clue on where to start with people this far gone from reality.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Pohemi

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
15,284
13,581
146
Saw this in my Facebook feed today and thought this might be an appropriate thread. It really speaks to the division we are all aware of, and seeing the other side as evil (forget about the specific topic of guns). Shawn was a friend/classmate of mine in the 80's. I hope some of this is drunk/high posting. He's really gone down the rabbit hole.View attachment 42669

If not appropriate for this thread, I'll remove it.

This is what I worry about; this is what I want to fix, but haven't a clue on where to start with people this far gone from reality.
You can't, you can only convince someone of something they're ready to believe.
 

dank69

Lifer
Oct 6, 2009
36,125
30,518
136
Saw this in my Facebook feed today and thought this might be an appropriate thread. It really speaks to the division we are all aware of, and seeing the other side as evil (forget about the specific topic of guns). Shawn was a friend/classmate of mine in the 80's. I hope some of this is drunk/high posting. He's really gone down the rabbit hole.View attachment 42669

If not appropriate for this thread, I'll remove it.

This is what I worry about; this is what I want to fix, but haven't a clue on where to start with people this far gone from reality.
All opinions are valid. LOL
 

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,316
10,814
136
I’m just going to leave this here:


Tee hee.


I mean the thread title just sounds like an Onion headline. Then the OP gets pwned with his own post about celebreties. I mean you can't make this shit up.


Nevermind you can't make this stuff up ... there's no need to do so!

:p
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pohemi

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,536
16,306
146
Wasn't this you?


I farking love liberal hollywood elites dousing us with their elite political e-peen opinions. It's great for making them feel like they are at our level in life.

Yeah, I guess it's only good when they confirm your bias, but otherwise irrelevant.

Dude. Just stop.
 

JTsyo

Lifer
Nov 18, 2007
11,817
952
126
The part he's wrong on is that it's not the politicians that are trying to get rich vs poor or right vs left. It's the rich. They have the power but they need something to get the masses to align with them to give them more power and money and act against the masses own self-interest. They are able to divide the working class with these wedge issues and lobby the politicians to push the points to gain the votes.

How American oligarchs created the concept of race to divide and conquer the poor
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pohemi and pmv