quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius

The arrogance exists on both sides, however the majority of the remarks regarding lack of intelligence seem to come from the left.

Just my opinion.

quote:

ORIGINAL: PeonForHer

If that's true, then it's probably got a lot to do with a belief in reason over 'instinct'.  Liberals (and socialists) favour rationalism.  Michael Oakeshott, the British conservative political philosopher, said:

"The general character and disposition of the Rationalist are, I think., difficult to identify. At bottom he stands (he always stands) for independence of mind on all occasions, for thought free from obligation to any authority save the authority of reason'. His circumstances in the modern world have made him contentious: he is the enemy of authority, of prejudice, of the merely traditional, customary or habitual. His mental attitude is at once sceptical and optimistic: sceptical, because there is no opinion, no habit, no belief, nothing so firmly rooted or so widely held that he hesitates to question it and to judge it by what he calls his 'reason' . . . .

For a liberal or a socialist, the appeal to reason is self-evident.  S/he can't understand that conservatives don't value reason in the same way.  As Oakeshott implies, conservatives place a higher value on authority, prejudice (a word that he, and other conservative philosphers, use in an approving way); the traditional, customary or habitual.

To put it simply: in an important sense of the word, it's fair to say that conservatives don't actually 'think' as much as liberals. Hence John Stuart Mill, a founding father of liberalism and arch rationalist, nicknamed the conservatives the Stupid Party:

Mill said,

I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it.
 
http://brothersjuddblog.com/archives/2004/05/in_the_words_of_a_great_conser_1.html

quote:

ORIGINAL: rulemylife

quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius

The arrogance exists on both sides, however the majority of the remarks regarding lack of intelligence seem to come from the left.

Just my opinion.

Is that surprising?

Republicans have been pandering to the lowest common denominator since they elected Reagan.

You only have to listen to Sarah Palin or the Teabaggers to understand why the left makes remarks on lack of intelligence.

Which is not to denounce the whole right, or Republicans in general as lacking intelligence.  No one is saying that.

But when the face of the party becomes Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh spewing their nonsense about Haiti then something is wrong and it is not condescension to criticize that.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffff

quote:

ORIGINAL: willbeurdaddy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffff

An odd statement coming from someone who refuses to document anything he posts.


Jeff

I document everything I post that isnt so ridiculously over-documented and over-discussed that asking for it is just a game.

wilbur?... you have never documented a damn thing.


Jeff

quote:

ORIGINAL: MrMister
There are two basic kinds of people. There are those who are self owners, and are responsible for themselves. They have no interest in controlling the lives or property of others.

Then there are all the rest who, to various degrees, DO think they should control others and their property. They have various motives, the worst being "for your own good" or "for the children" - especially when they really, truly mean that.

Far as I'm concerned, that's it in a nutshell. The brain damaged controllers sneer because they don't own their own lives,  don't understand why they should... and can't accept that anyone else would even want to do so.

quote:

ORIGINAL: willbeurdaddy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffff

quote:

ORIGINAL: willbeurdaddy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffff

An odd statement coming from someone who refuses to document anything he posts.


Jeff

I document everything I post that isnt so ridiculously over-documented and over-discussed that asking for it is just a game.

wilbur?... you have never documented a damn thing.


Jeff

bullshit.

quote:

ORIGINAL: thornhappy

quote:

ORIGINAL: MrMister
There are two basic kinds of people. There are those who are self owners, and are responsible for themselves. They have no interest in controlling the lives or property of others.

Then there are all the rest who, to various degrees, DO think they should control others and their property. They have various motives, the worst being "for your own good" or "for the children" - especially when they really, truly mean that.

Far as I'm concerned, that's it in a nutshell. The brain damaged controllers sneer because they don't own their own lives,  don't understand why they should... and can't accept that anyone else would even want to do so.

And you realize this behavior spans liberals and conservatives, right?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffff

Are you suggesting that Modern day conservatives have something in common with Burke?

In the States?

quote:

ORIGINAL: willbeurdaddy

Of course, as Churchill pointed out, conservatives have a basis for their condescension.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius


The arrogance exists on both sides, however the majority of the remarks regarding lack of intelligence seem to come from the left.

Just my opinion.

quote:

ORIGINAL: thornhappy

I'll personally dance with glee when liberals are no longer grouped.......atheists, et al.

quote:

ORIGINAL: philosophy

“Usually the nonsense liberals spout is kind of cute, but in wartime their instinctive idiocy is life-threatening.”

quote:

ORIGINAL: philosophy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius


The arrogance exists on both sides, however the majority of the remarks regarding lack of intelligence seem to come from the left.

Just my opinion.

“Whether they are defending the Soviet Union or bleating for Saddam Hussein, liberals are always against America. They are either traitors or idiots, and on the matter of America's self-preservation, the difference is irrelevant.”

“Usually the nonsense liberals spout is kind of cute, but in wartime their instinctive idiocy is life-threatening.”

“Liberal soccer moms are precisely as likely to receive anthrax in the mail as to develop a capacity for linear thinking.”

........i believe you may not have heard of the woman known as Ann Coulter.

quote:

ORIGINAL: philosophy

“Whether they are defending the Soviet Union or bleating for Saddam Hussein, liberals are always against America. They are either traitors or idiots, and on the matter of America's self-preservation, the difference is irrelevant.”

“Usually the nonsense liberals spout is kind of cute, but in wartime their instinctive idiocy is life-threatening.”

“Liberal soccer moms are precisely as likely to receive anthrax in the mail as to develop a capacity for linear thinking.”

........i believe you may not have heard of the woman known as Ann Coulter.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Thadius


Rule,

Even in this response you refer to all of those going to the teaparties as teabaggers. You even suggest that they lack intelligence. Interesting generalization, and way to prove the point of the OP. As I stated, I believe it occurs on both sides of the fence, it just seems to be more vocal from the left.

For me, I have made some very good friends that are about as liberal as you can get, and discussions never fall into the spiral of disrespecting each others intelligence or even our beliefs. I believe that many of the ad hom attacks are emotionally based, which in my opinion suggests a lack of rational thinking or at least self control. Don't get me wrong, I am guilty of it, and probably will do so again in the future; yet, I do my best not to get involved in the name calling and such.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jeffff

Are you suggesting that Modern day conservatives have something in common with Burke?

In the States?

quote:

ORIGINAL: DarkSteven

That's odd.  I find some liberals to be as described, and some conservatives (Rush, Palin) to also assume that they are right and everyone else is simply misled.

quote:

ORIGINAL: FatDomDaddy

Limbaugh is not condensending at all. He never dumb downs his message