Comments on: The triumph of individualism? https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:07:28 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/#comment-6104 ER Sat, 24 Sep 2011 02:49:07 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=3817#comment-6104 If you can convince everyone they're rugged individualists, they won't organize against you. -Lawrence J Peter If you can convince everyone they’re rugged individualists, they won’t organize against you.

-Lawrence J Peter

]]> By: bowser https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/#comment-6058 bowser Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:47:03 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=3817#comment-6058 What does "individualism" mean? "Hooray for me and the hell with you", in brief. In practice it means subsidies for me, none for you, laws protecting me from you and none protecting you from me, etc. Of course it is a right-wing buzzword, as their's is the "the hell with you" philosophy. That goes for other people and countries. Individuals can triumph over individualism, and do all the time. Anything which promotes community, connections, unity, is a triumph over individualism. Ask a football team, or a Seal unit, or a good family how individualism works. Ah, greed by any other name would smell the same. Arf What does “individualism” mean? “Hooray for me and the hell with you”, in brief. In practice it means subsidies for me, none for you, laws protecting me from you and none protecting you from me, etc. Of course it is a right-wing buzzword, as their’s is the “the hell with you” philosophy. That goes for other people and countries.

Individuals can triumph over individualism, and do all the time. Anything which promotes community, connections, unity, is a triumph over individualism. Ask a football team, or a Seal unit, or a good family how individualism works.

Ah, greed by any other name would smell the same.

Arf

]]> By: RobVG https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/#comment-6046 RobVG Thu, 22 Sep 2011 05:58:59 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=3817#comment-6046 No organized "Left" in this country? Good, now maybe the Left on this board will concede that the "Right" isn't made up of a bunch of fascists. I'm not holding my breath. No organized “Left” in this country? Good, now maybe the Left on this board will concede that the “Right” isn’t made up of a bunch of fascists. I’m not holding my breath.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/#comment-6041 ER Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:30:15 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=3817#comment-6041 Yeah, see how arrogant and pig headed that comes across? Yeah, see how arrogant and pig headed that comes across?

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/#comment-6038 TB Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:15:18 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=3817#comment-6038 I see. I see.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/#comment-6036 ER Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:07:00 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=3817#comment-6036 Tom, you see creeping socialists everywhere, its part of your charm. I know exactly who and what I am. You are the one who's redefining me. You need enemies, your whole political philosophy demands them. There is no organized and influential Left in this country. Anyone who believes there is could hardly be called a reasonable observer. Tom, you see creeping socialists everywhere, its part of your charm.
I know exactly who and what I am. You are the one who’s redefining me.
You need enemies, your whole political philosophy demands them.

There is no organized and influential Left in this country. Anyone who believes there is could hardly be called a reasonable observer.

]]> By: TB https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/#comment-6032 TB Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:34:05 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=3817#comment-6032 <blockquote>"My only question is, 'What Socialists?' I don’t see any organized or influential Left in this country, certainly not in the political arena, in spite of the hysterical jibbering of the paranoid Right.</blockquote> This is a ridiculous statement. It's possible it derives from your continuous effort to "redefine" political terms until the definition falls off the board entirely, but no reasonable observer would say there is no organized or influential Left in this country. And one of their "tribe" (your word) is President.

“My only question is, ‘What Socialists?’ I don’t see any organized or influential Left in this country, certainly not in the political arena, in spite of the hysterical jibbering of the paranoid Right.

This is a ridiculous statement. It’s possible it derives from your continuous effort to “redefine” political terms until the definition falls off the board entirely, but no reasonable observer would say there is no organized or influential Left in this country. And one of their “tribe” (your word) is President.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/21/the-triumph-of-individualism/#comment-6031 ER Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:30:46 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=3817#comment-6031 If the Fundowacko Bible-Bangers were on the Left, the Right would be doing everything they could to exterminate them. But they need their zeal and their votes, so the worst they can come up with is "they're harmless". But if you read between the lines, you can see the subtle manipulation. You will note the contrast drawn between the "Christianists" and the "Socialists". The implication being that the commentator is solidly locked in the moderate center, and that both those "extremes" are now rejected by the society as a whole.. My only question is, "What Socialists?" I don't see any organized or influential Left in this country, certainly not in the political arena, in spite of the hysterical jibbering of the paranoid Right. What used to be centrists are now considered part of the "Left"; people in the middle,like me. The few avowed and proud lefties still in public life are marginalized and isolated. But the Christianists and their allies are everywhere, and getting stronger. They even are running two of their tribe for President. If the Fundowacko Bible-Bangers were on the Left, the Right would be doing everything they could to exterminate them. But they need their zeal and their votes, so the worst they can come up with is “they’re harmless”.

But if you read between the lines, you can see the subtle manipulation. You will note the contrast drawn between the “Christianists” and the “Socialists”. The implication being that the commentator is solidly locked in the moderate center, and that both those “extremes” are now rejected by the society as a whole..

My only question is, “What Socialists?”
I don’t see any organized or influential Left in this country, certainly not in the political arena, in spite of the hysterical jibbering of the paranoid Right. What used to be centrists are now considered part of the “Left”; people in the middle,like me. The few avowed and proud lefties still in public life are marginalized and isolated.

But the Christianists and their allies are everywhere, and getting stronger. They even are running two of their tribe for President.

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