Центристы

[arbat]

Случайно забрел на встречу "центристов". Это, типа, scholar_vit и компания. Они, значит, сидят, и обсуждают два вопроса. Они их всегда

Comments

[shkrobius]

I confess I do not get it. If you are a leftist, why not identify yourself a leftist, be proud of it, join the avant guarde and march towards the brightest of morning stars? Instead, this queer insistence on being a centrist. "Ninazino" is remarkable in this sense. Hers is a show of perpetual Hamletian uncertainty and Socratic hesitation; after painful, vocal, and protracted contortions, the invariably leftist solution is being chosen with metronomic predictability. It is mystery to me what is the purpose of this entertaining ritual. Coming out of the closet is child's play in comparison with this weekly drama. It is like being gay and watching the parade from the sidelines hoping that no one would notice the erection. Who needs that?

[merig00]

I think you did not get the point. They really think that they are centrist and everyone to their right is fringe

[shkrobius]

That I understand, but one can observe about oneself the surprising fact that one's "centrist" choices invariably happen to be leftist ones. This requires minimal introspection, furthermore, it is often openly admitted. If you walk like a duck and quack like a duck, why not call yourself a duck? There is no shame in being a duck, after all. Nobody would confuse you with a swan anyway. Instead, all this pretence of being an ugly duckling.in the middle of identity crisis. All that just to kid oneself?

[solomon2]

Hers looks like a simple case of trolling: she just pretends that she is reasonable and can accept reasonable arguments from the other side, if only her opponents try hard enough, but of course this never happens. Observing frustration of the opponents unable to penetrate the pretense gives the troll the perverse pleasure.

[shkrobius]

If this is true, I do not know who is a greater fool.

[solomon2]

As you know conservatism is about morality, not intelligence.

greater fool

[crockos]

Excellent insights!

Re: greater fool

[arbat]

Somehow, I feel that you understood that phrase as "conservatives are not intelligent".

You'd be disappointed to learn that this is not what it says.

Re: greater fool

[crockos]

I don't care what you feel. You are a greater fool.

Re: greater fool

[arbat]

If this is the case, you can easily rid yourself of the annoyance.
You can stop reading my journal and go anyplace else.

[arbat]

They have a huge image problem. They noticed that any term they chose to identify themselves with, - in a short order becomes rather negative.

They tried "communists", "socialists", "liberals", now they are on to "progressive". In a few short years they will discover that people intensely dislike anything called "progressive" and will move on to the next word.

Same with ninazino - she desperately tries to defend her views, without getting labeled with the term she KNOWS does not sound attractive.

[shkrobius]

She does not call herself progressive. She is the middle of the middle, the salt of the earth, the epitome of averageness, a mind unconstrained, an intellect set on unbiased inquiry and judicious weighing of the available options -- but somehow always ending up producing the party line. One may not notice this coincidence for a month or two, but not noticing it year in and year out? How can one not notice that about oneself?

[arbat]

I have no "image problem" whatsoever.
All that can be honestly said about me - I am perfectly aware of.

[shkrobius]

I am sorry, you've lost me. "arbat" is not claiming that he is a centrist. What image problem are you talking about here?