Comments on: Knaves or fools revisted

By: The Lethargic Philosopher » Blog Archive » Is he or isn’t he?

The Lethargic Philosopher » Blog Archive » Is he or isn’t he? — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:01:32 +0000

[…] The conservative bloggers I read have not impressed me much as they respond to all this. It seems to me that they can’t seem to make up their minds whether this President is a fool or a knave. But, as one of them who is noticeably wiser and more perceptive than most has asked, Why can’t he be both? Indeed, why not quite a bit of both? […]

By: Tatyana

Tatyana — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:50:43 +0000

One of the best threads. Now we’re talking!

By: JuliB

JuliB — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:28:56 +0000

+1 to Artfldgr for bringing in the “Grizzly Man” into a discussion about Obama. Very insightful – I just hope we all don’t end up like the screaming girlfriend who was also mauled to death.

By: Artfldgr

Artfldgr — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:43:02 +0000

its interesting to see how ignorance responds

and that vision is how i see a lot of things as i make such references (great reference Sergey, nice catch neo), and almost no one knows what was common knowlege in the past

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:26:24 +0000

Yackums: actually, I believe that Sergey (who is Russian) is making an oblique reference to Dostoevsky's novel about 19th century leftist revolutionaries in Russia, entitled "Demons" in Russian but released in this country as "The Possessed." It was a work I read in college.

By: Yackums

Yackums — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:25:00 +0000

Sergey:

But if his categorical imperative means an ultimate sacrifice: abolish his humanity and sacrifice both moral and logical truth to Party line, how we can call him? Not a human anymore. A demon.

Ya mean, like, oh, I don't know, maybe...SAAA-TAN!?!?!?

By: Oblio

Oblio — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:19:14 +0000

Let’s be careful about attributing too much wisdom to Jefferson. A man of parts and an elegant writer, no doubt, but in some ways the original Limousine Liberal and proponent of Radical Chic. Jefferson always defended the French interest and the French Revolution, to the point of rationalizing the Terror. Among the Founders, I always prefer Washington, Hamilton, and Adams over Jefferson.

By: Occam's Beard

Occam's Beard — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:01:31 +0000

PaceThomas Jefferson, the linear combination of 1 and 2:

3. Those who fear and distrust the people, but [nevertheless] cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe [of the options before us], although not the most wise depository of the public interests.

By: SteveH

SteveH — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:57:33 +0000

So what do we call a President who thinks nuclear weapons can be eliminated from the world? A knool?

By: Geoffrey Britain

Geoffrey Britain — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:28:59 +0000

"It’s about America being a “fair” country. And, they won’t succeed until everyone is at the same “fair” level of squalor." Yes, that's true, for the liberals, those always 'useful idiots'. Not so, for the leftists who know full well what they do. The knave and the fool shall always be with us, till the lamb lay down with the lion. "Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties: 1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes. 2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depository of the public interests. In every country these two parties exist, and in every one where they are free to think, speak, and write, they will declare themselves.” —Thomas Jefferson At some point, the knaves always reveal themselves, they cannot help it, for it is in their nature to step out into the open, when it be dark enough. When they do, if we retain the right to speak freely, then the fools will have the veil lifted from their eyes and then, who shall defend the knaves from the rage of the mob?