kurtster wrote: 
Kurt-RP is an infested shithole mostly full of people who think they are high and mighty.There were a few exceptions,but these nasty assholes driven most of them out.

I suggest you give up arguing with the POS's and let it go.
Islander,Slabby,Sean,Winter,etc are not worth your time.

They are self centered,cruel nasty people who will never have any sense of decency or any concern about anyone but themselves.

They are false hearted people who have absolutely no morals or even the most minute sense of decency.

You are so much better than these inhuman animals,I suggest you stop arguing with them

They are cruel,sad,evil people.Let them have their pitiful,miserable lives and let it go.

 Be better than them.

 islander wrote: 

Yes, as do I.  I do not wish harm or ill will on anyone for a host of reasons.  Karma being the biggest reason.  I consciencely refrain from laughing or reveling in others misfortune again primarily because of Karma.  It was a change in my attitude and began in my 20's.  Hard to live like that at first, but well worth the effort in the end.  Always taking the high road is its own reward.  While I may still fail, it is always the goal.

If you consider the warning, do not play with fire because you might get burned a threat of violence towards the warnee, then I do not know what to say.

We all take away something different from the same thing for a host of reasons and circumstances.  Reading the song comments here is ample proof of that.

Lastly, what my generation has in common with his (Thomas') is conscription.  Your's does not.  It probably has never entered the fabric of your thinking.  Pardon that assumption if not true.  My generation was the last to face it in the US and other than Israel, in the free world, to the best of my knowledge.  I have wriiten here often about the draft and having skin in the game and apathy.  My feelings about apathy are hardly new in these terms.

My somewhat snarky comment about being irrelevant is based upon the rampant apathy to be found in our society today.  Apathy renders history and those who have come before irrelevant.

I do hope that you get the book.  As you read it, imagine yourself growing up and facing the depictions of war in Nam and how it would be growing up knowing that it is what awaits you as your reward for coming of age in the US in the 60's.  The book is much more than the descriptions of war in Nam, but they are what they are and anyone coming of age back then facing the draft knew of the insanity waiting there.  Imagine yourself growing up and facing a highly likely death in a rice paddy or jungle in a strange, twisted far away place because of a government that went out of its way to lie to you, everyday, as you grew up.  Let it also be known, once again, that I have nothing but respect for those who went and served.  I also have open contempt for those who did not honor them as they came home and spit upon them among many other terrible things.

I gave my copy to hippie during my last visit with him some years ago.  While we spoke a lot about his service in Nam, he never did get back to me on the book.  Having read the book and knowing what I know, I am not surprised.

Pardon me for going so deep into this.  Its just the way it came out ...

 mutepoint wrote: 
The terrible part is that most of the comedians are Canukistani nationals to start with.

 kurtster wrote: 
Looks like an interesting book, I'll pick it up. 

The poem says nothing about bullets though. And certainly nothing so dark as a threat to any who fail to feel your zeal for a subject at hand.  And your follow ups of "Regardless, my comment on apathy was honest and sincere." and "Consider it a warning or cautionary thought, not an accusation." are certainly a misinterpretation of where Thomas would have you direct your rage at the onslaught of advancing years. I prefer to think of the poem as a missive on how we should live rather than how we should die, so yes we see it differently. But I doubt that is influenced any more by our different generations than it is simply by how we see ourselves in this world.  And really, Thomas was a generation before you, so maybe he would view us both as latecomers who can't feel his unique pain.

You are as irrelevant as you want to be. But I do get tired of threats of violence (regardless of where / who they come from). There is enough silliness t worry about in the real and digital worlds. Here as in meatspace let's try to disagree without coming to blows.

 

 islander wrote: 
I think that you trying to go way too deep with your reaction.

There was a sidebar going on about a song's lyrics that address hopeless and apathy via parody from a time long gone  You are from a different generation than mine.  My generation's and particular cohort's references are a tad different than yours. 

May I recommend a book ?  The Things They Carried.  Years ago Ted Koppel devoted an entire Nightline on the book.

While it has nothing to do with anything going on in this thread, it may offer some insights into the generation that preceeded yours.  I only read it because I took English 102 a couple of years ago to adjust degree pre - reqs caused by a difference between quarters and semesters.  The 30 yo instructor made it required reading for his students who were generally 18 to 25 yo's.  I am so glad that I read the book and looking back right now, I'm so glad that this guy is making his students read it for a perspective of a time that rivals Alice In Wonderland in unblievabilty of reality.

My generation is presently entering the Winter of our lives.  I was actually writing a journal about this (The 4 Seasons of Life) last week that was killed by the editor when I hit submit.  Do not go gentle into the good night.  That means something entirely different to me than you.  Of that I am sure of.

I'll try again on that journal, though it will be much different because a lot of it was cathartic and some of the thoughts went away with the properties of catharsis which involves letting go of some things.

Until then, ta ...
Oh and please do not infer any generational snark or condescending tones in my remarks.  Just a tired old white guy from an irrelevant generation trying to get some thoughts out.

 mutepoint wrote: 
You don't pay your FCC taxes, so no TV for you.  

Amazing that we can't really control anything crossing the borders except copyrighted comedy. 

 kurtster wrote: 
Nice, so people who grow weary of the ongoing slog can expect a bullet?  How the hell is that rational, well thought out, logic based debate?

WTF is with the threatening responses?  Jesus that gets old. 

 gypsyman wrote: 
No worries.  Just taking the time to say that steeler is one of the few here who actually tries to take political discussions seriously.  There weren't many to begin with and few are left.  We have joined together occasionally over the years to defend the poly threads and their legitimate place here on the boards.

I do not wish to put words in his mouth or speak for his methods, but he tries to raise the bar rather than play cop here.  We all have our tactics and devices for arguments, but he is one who knows that an argument is not a screaming match, it is the logic method for discussing topics or making points.

Most forum  members would prefer that political threads disappear forever.  steeler is not one of them.

 kurtster wrote: 

steeler's posts are thoughtful and well-crafted. not that he needs or wants my approval. just sayin'

 gypsyman wrote: 

In this instance, I can clearly say that steeler and I disagree on many things, but he is far from apathetic..

 steeler wrote: 

yes, you are. food for thought only. shoe fits, etc...

 gypsyman wrote: 
I'm good. Thanks.

 steeler wrote:  

To whomever the shoe fits ...

Consider it a warning or cautionary thought, not an accusation.

 steeler wrote: 

ps - Deal only in facts. Do not re-arrange the facts to fit your answer. Answer questions directly, without asking another question. Back up your statements without hyperbole. Remember that logic is your friend. Make no judgmental statements without quantifying your qualifications to do so, and we will thereby eliminate those incompetent to engage.

 kurtster wrote: 

And directed at whom?

 steeler wrote: 
I did take it as a joke.  I went and dug up the full lyrics and was going to post some more of them.

Consider that two wrongs never make a right
But that three... do.

Wherever possible, put people on hold.

Be comforted that in the face of all aridity and disillusionment
And despite the changing fortunes of time,
There is always a big future in computer maintenance.
(Obamacare assures the truthfulness of the preceeding line)
But in all honesty, my first thought was to reply with the line do not go gentle into the good night.

Regardless, my comment on apathy was honest and sincere.

 spammer wrote: 

Boatloads of 400lb catfish.

Boatloads of internet cops in this thread.

 kurtster wrote: 

It was a joke.

But you are laying it on a tad thick. 

 gypsyman wrote: 
You beat me to it ...

Apathy has no quarter or safe harbour, nor will they hear the bullet.