Tragedy As a "Teachable Moment"

Alex notes--

If Soros wants a 'Why do they Hate Us' retread of everything every school child has already learned in high school about his country's checkered past--his monument will simply have no visitors--it will mean nothing.

Great point. How fucking condescending is it that these douchebags think that Americans don't know about Jim Crow?

I really wish the left would give up its constant didacticism.

America is not a classroom, you are not professors, and we are not students seeking your wisdom.

Okay, I'm on a liberal-baitin' jag lately. But here I go again.

Liberals have far too much of their self-worth deriving from the fact that they are liberal. Otherwise marginal intellects get to think themselves near-genii just because they think all the right things, read all the right books (or, let's be honest, read the New York Times reviews of all the right books, but claim later they actually read the books).

And, just as the sort of "Jeebus-lovin'" Kristian Konservative Kooks they deride, they gain a sense of moral superiority from their Belief in a Higher Power.

In this case, that Higher Power is Bill Moyers. Which is pretty sad. At least the higher power in Scientology wrote some halfway decent pulp sci-fi.

And the fact that they derive a such a potent sense of intellectual and moral superiority from These Things That They Believe means they really can never, ever

Just. Shut up. About it. Already.

What good is moral and intellectual superiority if you never get to share it with your friends? Or, for that matter, perfect strangers?

Liberals speak of "teachable moments." Conservatives don't. We view politics as politics, as rhetoric, persuasion, and, yes, even a little demagoguery sometimes.

Liberals view it as something more annoying. Not demagoguery. Pedagogy. It's the eternal, boundless classroom, where they are forever the wise instructing the young, dumb, and/or morally unformed.

Sort of like Robin Williams in Dead Poets' Society but with fewer references to Lord Byron and more mentions of Supersize Me.

Even food is now politicized. And liberals have to tell us, constantly, how much healthier we'd all be if we stopped with the meat and grease and fries and all.

Here's my usual political discussion with a liberal:

LIBERAL: But how can you believe that?

ME: I'd rather not discuss it. Let's keep this light. Say, I just saw The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. I've got to say I've had it with that guy's fey and hyper-mannered directorial style.

LIBERAL: I don't want to talk about that. I want to hear how you can believe such a thing. I want to understand you.

ME: There's nothing to understand. We disagree, and we're probably better off leaving it at that. Hey-- you know what would be good right about now? Popcorn shrimp, that's what. I tell you what feller, nothing hits the spot like popcorn shrimp.

LIBERAL: I cannot discuss such trivialities as popcorn shrimp with you abnegating--

ME: Abnegating?

LIBERAL: --abnegating my very sense of self-worth. Let me explain to you what you should think, and why I'm wonderful for thinking these things already.

ME: Oh, God. Here we go.

LIBERAL: It's interesting you mention "God." I suppose you're one of those religious loonies. Ah, well. We'll get to that soon enough. Now, we begin with Willie Horton...

I'm quite serious about this. Conservatives don't usually want to discuss politics with those who disagree, because, well, it's disagreeable and there's little point.

But dang-- when a liberal finds out you're not a liberal... most really, really want to talk their way through this massive problem in the relationship.

Even if you barely know the person.

It's a political movement made up entirely of Overweening Jewish Grandmothers, always nagging, always kvetching, always offering advice you're just never gonna take, and then always wondering why "Mr. Big-Shot" has no time to call back anymore.

Well, Grammy, look, we know you mean well and all, but stop with the unending lecture. Boring as it is, we'd rather hear about your gardening than the latest tirade about how we should really be more like Cousin Efram.

posted by Ace at 06:10 PM

| Access Comments