Comments on: Another click on the ratchet http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/ Same old blog, brand new place Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:17:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: John Robertson http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-83508 John Robertson Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:12:08 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-83508 Doc, grow a dick. Obama is a nothing. I know of LaRouche, and he attacks the baby boomers, basically because they are a bunch of degenerate morons, especially those with PHD's. They have the tendency to be anti-truth and especially anti-authoritarian. Look at your blog, making some stupid claim about LHL being paranoid. Yet when he speaks of a conspiracy to destroy the united states, even going so far as to spell out to you what you would know if you picked up some of the actual literature provided by ex-presidents and others, the huge majority of your generation begin to behave on the intellectual level of the rhesus monkey, whining about not believing, and my opinion- your opinion. Well done. Doc, grow a dick. Obama is a nothing. I know of LaRouche, and he attacks the baby boomers, basically because they are a bunch of degenerate morons, especially those with PHD’s. They have the tendency to be anti-truth and especially anti-authoritarian. Look at your blog, making some stupid claim about LHL being paranoid. Yet when he speaks of a conspiracy to destroy the united states, even going so far as to spell out to you what you would know if you picked up some of the actual literature provided by ex-presidents and others, the huge majority of your generation begin to behave on the intellectual level of the rhesus monkey, whining about not believing, and my opinion- your opinion. Well done.

]]> By: Mark Turner http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-74113 Mark Turner Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:01:08 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-74113 Happy belated birthday, Doc! Happy belated birthday, Doc!

]]> By: Eyebee http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-73490 Eyebee Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:00:10 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-73490 First time, I've read your blog, but Many Happy Returns for yesterday. I'm about to turn 50 in January, and yes, don't the years fly by! First time, I’ve read your blog, but Many Happy Returns for yesterday. I’m about to turn 50 in January, and yes, don’t the years fly by!

]]> By: Mike Warot http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-73446 Mike Warot Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:39:27 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-73446 Doc, I think it's a case of figuring out the truth about some things, and then extrapolating too far out. The core truth attracts followers, the far out stuff breeds a sense of isolation, and it becomes self-reinforcing. I agree with some of what they say, because it's truth, and discard the rest. I agree they need to listen and converse, not try to be the loudest broadcaster. Doc, I think it’s a case of figuring out the truth about some things, and then extrapolating too far out. The core truth attracts followers, the far out stuff breeds a sense of isolation, and it becomes self-reinforcing. I agree with some of what they say, because it’s truth, and discard the rest.

I agree they need to listen and converse, not try to be the loudest broadcaster.

]]> By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-73379 Doc Searls Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:54:44 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-73379 Mike, What you say in your comment, and the way you say it, makes infinitely more sense to me than *any* of the stuff the LaRouche supporters said at the Obama gathering, and any of the literature they gave me. To be fair, only one of the three LaRouche supporters was disruptive (and insulting, personally) to the point that he was told to leave. but all three strained their welcome. And none was interested in conversation, much less the exchange of ideas. They listened only to interrupt, and their persuasive powers were in the negative range. Same goes for the LaRouche literature. What I saw of it was thick with judgmental mockery and paranoia -- based, near as I cared to tell, on little more than LaRouche's own ideology. Its put-downs of the Internet, and of blogging in particular, were so far beyond wrong that I don't see how any other than True Believers could make sense of it. I agree that we need to understand each other. But I saw no effort in that direction by these three dudes. Nor, from what I read of LaRouche in his literature, from The Man Himself. Mike,

What you say in your comment, and the way you say it, makes infinitely more sense to me than *any* of the stuff the LaRouche supporters said at the Obama gathering, and any of the literature they gave me.

To be fair, only one of the three LaRouche supporters was disruptive (and insulting, personally) to the point that he was told to leave. but all three strained their welcome. And none was interested in conversation, much less the exchange of ideas. They listened only to interrupt, and their persuasive powers were in the negative range.

Same goes for the LaRouche literature. What I saw of it was thick with judgmental mockery and paranoia — based, near as I cared to tell, on little more than LaRouche’s own ideology. Its put-downs of the Internet, and of blogging in particular, were so far beyond wrong that I don’t see how any other than True Believers could make sense of it.

I agree that we need to understand each other. But I saw no effort in that direction by these three dudes. Nor, from what I read of LaRouche in his literature, from The Man Himself.

]]> By: Chip http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-73278 Chip Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:03:58 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-73278 Wow Widely read enough that your birthday becomes locus for commentary on fringe politics Just can't get that Jerry Lee Lewis voice out of my head ... Ciao Chip Wow
Widely read enough that your birthday becomes locus for commentary on fringe politics

Just can’t get that Jerry Lee Lewis voice out of my head …

Ciao
Chip

]]> By: WJ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-73267 WJ Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:05:59 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-73267 Happy Birthday, Doc! May you have a terrific one!! Have been reading your posts since some time now and you never ever fail to amaze me. Every post of yours has a story to tell and gives me the chance to learn something new. Here's to your energy and unfailing enthusiasm! -WJ Happy Birthday, Doc! May you have a terrific one!!

Have been reading your posts since some time now and you never ever fail to amaze me. Every post of yours has a story to tell and gives me the chance to learn something new.

Here’s to your energy and unfailing enthusiasm!

-WJ

]]> By: Mike Taht http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-73234 Mike Taht Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:52:57 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-73234 Happy birthday, Doc - Hopefully in 3 years, you'll have a certain Beatles tune in your head to start the day.... Happy birthday, Doc –

Hopefully in 3 years, you’ll have a certain Beatles tune in your head to start the day….

]]> By: links for 2008-07-30 -- Chip’s Quips http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-73233 links for 2008-07-30 -- Chip’s Quips Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:32:54 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-73233 [...] Doc Searls Weblog · Another click on the ratchet Happy Birthday, Doc! And when you say that “being right is overrated”, you’re… um… right. (tags: docsearls birthday opinion certainty) [...] [...] Doc Searls Weblog · Another click on the ratchet Happy Birthday, Doc! And when you say that “being right is overrated”, you’re… um… right. (tags: docsearls birthday opinion certainty) [...]

]]> By: Keith Dick http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/comment-page-1/#comment-73219 Keith Dick Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:11:22 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2008/07/29/another-click-on-the-ratchet/#comment-73219 Happy Birthday, Doc! Mike: I'm pretty sure that most of the misinformation in the media is not deliberate lying on the part of the news people, but a result of them not understanding what they are writing about, and allowing themselves to be led by those who they believe do know what is going on, or sometimes being careless because they are rushing to get the news out first. In the latter case, the truth usually comes out pretty quickly. The former case is the big problem, in my opinion. It is those so-called experts that the news people rely on who are lying to us. (I'm sure that in some cases, the news people do know they are reporting lies, but I suspect it is a small portion of the cases.) Ideally, the news people should do enough investigation that they can avoid parroting the misleading data they are fed, or at least point out that they are repeating information from biased sources, but they don't seem to do that. I'm not sure why. Probably a combination of not enough time, not enough interest, not enough understanding, and not enough competition in the news business. In recent times, bloggers have exposed some of the misinformation we've been fed, and forced the main news sources to report the truth. That helps, but still a lot of misinformation doesn't get exposed well enough. I hope the situation gets better. That is, I hope in the future we see more widespread exposure of misleading information until everyone who cares to learn the truth about public affairs can do so relatively easily. What was that old quote? Something about eternal vigilance is the price of freedom? Jefferson, I think. Happy Birthday, Doc!

Mike: I’m pretty sure that most of the misinformation in the media is not deliberate lying on the part of the news people, but a result of them not understanding what they are writing about, and allowing themselves to be led by those who they believe do know what is going on, or sometimes being careless because they are rushing to get the news out first. In the latter case, the truth usually comes out pretty quickly. The former case is the big problem, in my opinion. It is those so-called experts that the news people rely on who are lying to us. (I’m sure that in some cases, the news people do know they are reporting lies, but I suspect it is a small portion of the cases.)

Ideally, the news people should do enough investigation that they can avoid parroting the misleading data they are fed, or at least point out that they are repeating information from biased sources, but they don’t seem to do that. I’m not sure why. Probably a combination of not enough time, not enough interest, not enough understanding, and not enough competition in the news business.

In recent times, bloggers have exposed some of the misinformation we’ve been fed, and forced the main news sources to report the truth. That helps, but still a lot of misinformation doesn’t get exposed well enough. I hope the situation gets better. That is, I hope in the future we see more widespread exposure of misleading information until everyone who cares to learn the truth about public affairs can do so relatively easily.

What was that old quote? Something about eternal vigilance is the price of freedom? Jefferson, I think.

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