Big Talk

 

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yet another slight variant on a previous post (hopefully, the final variant): 

my current way of looking at the current political conflict:

1. the pro-democracy coalition versus the paneful std coalition 

acronym for PANEFUL STD: People Are Not Equal! Fie, Uppity Liberal! Screw Thee, Democrat! 

The pro-democracy coalition wants a system where everybody counts, and everybody has to account. The paneful std coalition does not need to have a coherent agenda, and can merely take credit for anything good, and avoid blame for anything bad. It also merely needs to point out that the pro-democracy people are hypocrites, who made a mess of things when they were in charge. 

The paneful std coalition, like the pro-democracy coalition, is diverse, but perhaps paneful std politics starts with skepticism: skepticism of equality, skepticism of fairness, skepticism of halfhearted, semi-sincere attempts to force equality and fairness on an unequal, unfair world. Under very bad or very bored conditions, the skepticism can perhaps become resentment: positive dislike of liberals, leftists, democrats, equality or even fairness. Under even worse or even more bored conditions, the resentment can perhaps become nihilism, a trolling, taunting terrifying commitment to the bit: no truth; no equality; no unalienable rights; no lives matter. 

The more respectable members of the paneful std coalition do not approve of resentment or nihilism, but they do tend to agree that the liberals and the leftists in their life have become too uppity, too self-righteous, too arrogant, and have not earned the right to criticize them. Therefore, the liberals need to be encouraged to keep eating the mournful oatmeal, and reflect on the errors of their ways. 

https://lakewobegon.fandom.com/wiki/Mournful_Oatmeal/2001-03-10

Politicians like Trump and Netanyahu are, perhaps, useful placeholder politicians, useful to prevent the liberals from getting their own way, partly out of spite, partly out of strategy. 

Trump, perhaps, is best thought of as a paneful std: slightly fun at the beginning, gets old very, very quickly. 

What prophylactic measures can be taken against paneful std politics? I do think pro-democracy people should be willing to engage with their critics, even embittered and resentful critics, critics who take pleasure in dissecting their manners, morals, intellect, general physique, and method of eating asparagus. But they should not be willing to throw their own people under the bus. They should not be willing to bad-mouth their own values and principles, either in an attempt to look cool, or because some consultant has convinced them that "vice-signaling" is good politics. 

Perhaps most difficult, pro-democracy people must start to develop an awareness of when rude criticism and skepticism has developed into nihilism, and trolling. I don't believe nihilists and trolls should be pilloried, dehumanized, used as a scapegoat for all of our own problems. But it is necessary to set limits, and to not allow bad-faith trolling to endlessly lead you down the garden path. 

But enough about the paneful stds! We have been talking too much about them. We need to find time to talk about better things. 

Victory for the pro-democracy coalition requires: 

1. An exciting pro-democracy agenda, which gives people energy, inspiration, enthusiasm, and incentives to organize.

2. Assuaging people's anxieties about liberal or leftist overreach.

3. Assuaging people's anxieties about the dangers of calling out injustice, and the dangers of actively seeking alternatives to injustice.

4. Perhaps, a certain . . . je ne sais quoi. 

What do I mean by liberal or left? Liberal means having a value for freedom. Left means having a value for equality. A member of the liberal-left is someone who has a value for both freedom and equality. 

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my other way of looking at the current political conflict: 

1. Tony Gwynn politics versus Iron Throne politics

Tony Gwynn politics: friendly, neighborhood politics, rooted in artistry, craftsmanship, community and good cheer. 

Iron Throne politics: cutthroat, plutocratic politics, rooted in chaos, confusion, corruption and cringe.

By "cringe" I mean cringing servility, not embarrassment or shame.

acronym for TONY GWYNN: Taking On Neighborly Yokes, Getting on With Your Neighbors & Newcomers. 

By "neighborly yokes", I mean willingly taking on the burdens of being a good neighbor, a good citizen, a good friend.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_11:30 

acronym for IRON THRONE: Irrational Resentment Of Neighbors, Taking Horrible Revenge On Neighbors & Enemies. 

Most people believe they are justified in taking horrible revenge on enemies. At least, they want to keep their options open. That, of course, is how they get you. 

The fundamental difference is that Tony Gwynn politics is about getting on with your neighbors, Iron Throne politics is about curating your neighbors, deciding which of your neighbors, if any, goes well with the wallpaper and the furniture. 

https://www.fadedpage.com/books/20140910/html.php#c48

 "48. My Neighbour

A man must not choose his neighbour: he must take the neighbour that God sends him. . . . The neighbour is just the man who is next to you at the moment, the man with whom any business has brought you into contact."

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Little Talk 

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How Much Diet Does A Man Require? 

My current answer:

1A. light breakfast + brunch

1B. sumptuous breakfast + light lunch

2A. high tea + light supper

2B. light tea + slap up supper

3. One thing I am trying to do at the moment is to fast between 1:30 and 5:30. Not strict fasting, merely not planning to eat, if not hungry. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFd0DlMotHI 

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Next post: May 29, 2026