a place where everyone knows your name

[Dune]

The problem with some "thinkers" - and I use that word in quotes for a reason, is that they think everyone sees things the same as they do. You know, the "right" way and the god-fearing way and the "moral way according to them".

That's dangerous thinking....but yet so prevalent. Sure, we all have opinions and are somewhat set in our ways...but at the same time when you are in other's company you need to act a bit differently...especially when those others are people from all over the country and world.

It really does come as news to many that the whole world is not like their local or even their internet circles.....

This community has been great - can or no can. Tens of thousands of people are constantly helped in being safer and more efficient in their burning. As others noted, the political discourse in this country has ground to a halt....from Congress down to Main Street. Yeah, I'll chat politics with friends....even republican friends. After a few minutes they usually tell me they believe in all the "liberal" ideas but are republicans because they are in business or because they think we need two parties, etc.....
Heck, my mom votes republican and loves Mitt Romney, Ronald Reagan and anyone else who looks like a movie star and has money.....

I don't spend much time on the interweb discussing politics because of the divisiveness. It's not like it used to be where you could actually exchange ideas - now it seems like people just taunting others with how stupid the other guy or gal is. However, there is one exception - I spend a lot of time on Quora (hey, goose is on there too!)...... this is a place where all the real questions of the world (including politics) are answered by real people who know things.
http://www.quora.com

To give you some examples.....well, our friend the majority whip (Eric Cantor) is/was on there personally answering questions. Someone asked what Obama is like personally, and the fella answering (or multiple people) actually spent hours alone with the Prez. Craig (of craigslist) as well as many of the famous folks from Silicon Valley, etc. are on there answering questions.

Now that's my kind of place!

C'mon down.......

This is why I am going to miss access to your mind so much old friend.

 

[jharkin]

So wait a second, are you leaving the site altogether web?

 

[stoveguy2esw]

The problem with some "thinkers" - and I use that word in quotes for a reason, is that they think everyone sees things the same as they do. You know, the "right" way and the god-fearing way and the "moral way according to them".

whats even scarier is folks who's "thinking" is based on the "blanket" partisan issues instead of thinking about individual issues one at a time. what i refer to as "lemming" thought.

to me its just so hard to believe that every conservative is of the same opinion on every issue or every liberal or progressive is as well. yet it almost seems that way sometimes when folks are either "lumped into" a category , or even worse "lump themselves" one.

 

[firefighterjake]

Seems like we humans tend to get ourselves in heaps of trouble when a person surrounds themselves solely with folks who think like they do and who offer no dissenting opinions or ideas . . . personally . . . while I may not always agree with a person (or a politician . . . word is that politicians are people too! ) . . . I like listening to other ideas to at least consider other viewpoints and opinions . . . and I try to keep an open mind to those other opinions.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

I hear ya FFJ its incredible to me how the populous has gotten so partisan about even the most mundane of things. I catch heck from my conservative friends for arguing I favor of SSM for instance I hear their arguments about smaller govt as "keeping government out of the bedroom" it is so stupid, how can one argue against SSM and use that term. easy, cause they are "conservative" and they feel obligated to be for traditional marriage yet if they truly are for "keeping govt out of the bedroom" , they should be pro SSM right? after all isn't it the govt which is trying to ban it? by writing laws by referendum.

just using it as an example and not wanting to derail the thread, as I could go on and on about individual topics both left and right leaning by the "scoreboard" just picked this one out of the "hat" so to speak.

maybe im a closet liberal (not) I believe in smaller fed govt, I think the states have the right to do more than most libs do, and that the fed should be there to oversee in a way and only step in when the states need a nudge in the proper direction on items such as this, but geez, if I a southern white male straight and all that can see this for what I see it is, why cant the rest of the country see it?

being in the middle you have the added burden of screaming at both sides. heck maybe im a closet independent and wont admit it

 

[BrotherBart]

. . . and I try to keep an open mind to those other opinions.

"Mind like parachute. Only function when open."

- Charlie Chan

 

[stoveguy2esw]

View attachment 137350

"Mind like parachute. Only function when open."

- Charlie Chan

what this means (and my friend BB quantified) for America to succeed will require the People to actually think a little (which scares me) and look at things on an individual basis not a "lemming" basis

simply put the ideals that founded America were predicated on the simple fact that everyone should be (and I hate this word) "entitled" to Life Liberty ad the Pursuit of Happiness.

as long as ones personal LL&PoH does not restrict the next guy's LL&PoH . advocate for what you think is right , but pause just long enough to think , is this "right" for my neighbor?" if not discuss it with that neighbor with respect not venom, and reach an agreement which is suitable for both. thus democracy is achieved