Call Conservative Elites What They Are
That’s my advice for the right in The Daily Beast.
UPDATE: I like the front page to look nice and pretty, so I’m writing this paragraph in order that the spacing makes for a better layout. I suppose it’s inevitable that the Sarah Palin content of my piece is going to provoke all its comments, but I’d sure prefer it if people instead addressed the argument about whether we’d be better off thinking of conservative elites as being elites.
Obscene whited sepulchres and Sarah-Palin-crack dealers and souless scam artists?
— matoko_chan · Jul 8, 05:41 PM · #
Who’s pretending there are no conservative elites? If a “large chunk” of elites hates her does that mean none love her?
I still don’t understand why Palin isn’t an elite. You seem to use the term as synonymous with expert. Who are the experts who are so obviously better at governing exactly. Are they the ones in charge, or just some of them.
And I don’t understand all these class distinctions. Sounds like me and the boys at the bar debating who are the top 5 QBs of all time. This is not something we ever take so seriously because it’s not an official, objective list.
Everyone can understand “elites” as those in positions of power and influence that everyone else defers to, and even the distinction between “cultural” (whatever that means to you) elites and business elites, conservatives, liberals, and clebrities (Michael Jackson, pundits, George Lucas), but it is odd to Kristol and especially us dense mass-men how much angst and ink is used trying to distance Palin from this completely arbitrary and unAmerican pseudo-class some people think is qualitatively different from everyone else. Is it a faith in the flawless meritocratic “system” that its beneficiaries thinks has selected them due to their inherent superiority? Kristol can’t fathom it, and probably doesn’t want to, because it is so unbecoming of elites.
I’m not really saying you’re wrong – “liberal elite” is a focus-group tested political term like “greedy hedge-fund managers” or “the rich” that conservatives use to whip the base into a frenzy. But who doesn’t realize that and also reads the Beast? And sure Palin probably is not the most competent statesman, but harping on this seems to presume there are others out there we can easily witness and identify. I would be very uncomfortable with claiming that. Bush managed us like he did the Rangers. Obama seems to be doing about as good a job as an editor or organizer. But I’m pretty sure we will survive all the incompetents the ignorant masses keep electing. So, why is her ignorance, flightiness, and populist appeal so much more threatening? Why the obsession? Can’t you just go back to deifying MJ like everyone else? Don’t be a hater.
— Straw Man · Jul 8, 05:41 PM · #
Update: To repeat, who says there are no conservative elites? Not Kristol. Limbaugh?
Again, that’s called rhetoric – he’s distinguishing us and them – those who worked hard to get to the top of some industry and those who worked hard to distinguish themselves in learning or the arts or among social jetsetters.
I understand there is a lot of overlap among these two groups in reality, but how are elites supposed to compete and take power away from each other if they can’t turn the people against the liberal “hollywood” types who don’t share your values or those greedy wall street tycoons with their tax shelters? I guess I just don’t understand what you are arguing or what the point is.
I only raised Palin because I think her example has muddied the discourse and confused everyone’s categories for some “deep dark socio-psychological reason.”
— Straw Man · Jul 8, 06:28 PM · #
Kid, for what it’s worth, I agree with your position in The Daily Beast.
I just hope that the Conservative power bosses don’t kill you for it.
— Mark · Jul 8, 06:42 PM · #
But you ask, are we better off thinking this way though? If we want to be accurate, I guess.
But perhaps a better question is if the country is better off always grouping all elites together in our public discourse and opinions?
As a working commoner I tend to think not, since that categorization only leads to elites versus the masses. I don’t like all the overlap and collusion among my elites because they share too many interests I don’t and are too willing to hold me and my ilk in contempt.
I feel much more comfortable when they are trying to enlist me in their battles with each other than when they start joining together to improve the world and beautify everything with their common elite tastes, thinking of elite interests first, and us as the problematic burden of the nobles that must be managed and cared for by a more genius system. And I think that’s why many like Palin (sorry) – because she does bother elites on both sides of the aisle with her ignorance and ineptitude. Consider her the wrench some workers would like to throw into the better machine and political religion that all elites seem to agree they should build for us.
So, no. I think we’re better off (the elites and the masses) just hating some of the elites rather than all of them.
I wouldn’t worry about the “Conservative power bosses” though. I think they will take your point as a quibble over semantics. They know of who they speak, and it is hardly useful for their efforts to make us hate “them” if they start qualifying and clarifying exactly who isn’t on their side. It’s in their interest just to ignore such intrusions of truth.
— Straw Man · Jul 8, 06:58 PM · #
I haven’t “seen” you since Annika’s Journal days, Straw Man. Hope you’re well. Conor, I’ve been thinking about—and I may be completely wrong in the way I express it but I’ll just spit it out—and that is that after the age of 32 I began to realize that we really do need each other. I think we need us all—even the crazies on both ends of the political spectrum have their function which, I think, is primarily to warn the rest of us what happens when we begin to worship our own ideas to the point where we can’t love or have compassion for our fellow man.
— Joules · Jul 8, 08:20 PM · #
Hey Conor, I’ve seen you refer to your opinions on immigration (as you did toward the bottom of the first page of the Beast column), but I’ve never seen them fleshed out a great deal. Could you pass me a link where you have, or maybe write a comment or a blog post explaining why you thought a guest-worker plan is a bad idea, and what you think the broad outlines of a sustainable immigration policy would be?
It may be a big request, but I’d be appreciative.
— pc · Jul 8, 08:25 PM · #
I will admit I didn’t read the article in The Daily Beast. I don’t need to hear Conor beating up on Sarah Palin again.
As I see it, the resistance to admitting that conservatives have “elites” is simple: we don’t like “elitists” and neither should you! (to quote Conor Friedersdorf). Our problem is not really with elites per se. I have great respect for elites. In fact, it wasn’t until I accepted the fact that there are elites that I really went over to the dark side and became a conservative. It’s just an unfair fact of life that a small number of people have inordinate power and influence. The difference between elites and elitists is how they use that power.
I have a huge problem with the kind of elites that conservatives disdain, i.e., elitists: people in positions of power and influence who truly believe they just know better than the rest of us how to live, think and unfortunately, spend our money. In other words, the typical liberal/progressive whether Democrat or Republican. Thomas Sowell calls them The Anointed.
So what I object to is Conor saying that conservatives need to admit they have elites, too, as if our elites are like theirs. I hate to say it, but I smell a little bit of the elitist in Conor Friedersdorf
— jd · Jul 8, 09:01 PM · #
JD,
“Our” elites are just like “theirs.” See: the Bush Administration, which believed they knew better than the rest of us how to live, think and spend our money.
— Conor Friedersdorf · Jul 8, 09:08 PM · #
“Our” elites are just like “theirs.” See: the Bush Administration, which believed they knew better than the rest of us how to live, think and spend our money.
First, care to give examples of that?
Second, is Bush’s administration what you would consider conservative and therefore typical of what conservative elites are like?
Third, if that’s true, then I ask you again, what the hell team are you on? Why, if we’re no different, do you give damn about the political discourse of conservatives? Why should we behave any different if we’re not different?
And fourth, apparently you just don’t see any merit at all in differentiating between elites and elitists.
— jd · Jul 8, 09:26 PM · #
By any reasonable definition, Tom Delay was a conservative and an elite. I don’t know where he went to school, but he most certainly felt like he knew better than me how I should be allowed to live my life and spend my money. (The “Oh, he (i.e. Bush, Delay, et al.) wasn’t a real conservative and therefore doesn’t really count” is the most tired argument in the world. Conservatives uniformly supported Bush in 2000 and 2004. He was your standard bearer and no amount of retro-active spin can erase that.)
— tgb1000 · Jul 8, 09:53 PM · #
Conor;
I’m beginning to suspect all the pieces regarding Palin are simply a way to get readership and attention. Just let it pass.
And as for elites. Of course there are elites on both the liberal and conservative sides. Hell, Bill Buckley was the ultimate elite. And?
— C3 · Jul 8, 11:18 PM · #
PS
but I have to say something must have happen if matoko can only muster one comment to a Palin thread. Must be the crash after the high
— C3 · Jul 8, 11:19 PM · #
Analogy:
Teen Wolf meets Political Barracuda, but without the happy ending.
— Kristoffer V. Sargent · Jul 9, 12:00 AM · #
One of Matoko’s comments was quoted by Andrew. I hear the NYTIMEs is talking with her agent.
ps. He’s quoted my comments too. I’m in negotiations with MSNBC
— old one eye · Jul 9, 01:02 AM · #
I don’t need to say n/e thing else.
I nailed it….BAM!
Douthat and the rest of the crack-dealers are going to try to refurbish her so they can use her again down the road.
Sully and others will watch out for that.
me too.
;)
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 02:11 AM · #
Sully and I will form a company of Medjai, and guard against Palin’s political return, like Ardeth Bey.
Just like Anck su Namun, Palin is never coming back from Hamunaptra…..and Douthat’s lame fabrications will never be able to resurrect her.
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 02:26 AM · #
Behold!
The Power of my Dark Magicks…….she has all but disappeared from the front page of HotAir!
hahahaha!
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 02:30 AM · #
abracadabra!
abraxis! gallo gallo tse!
lol.
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 02:43 AM · #
“One of Matoko’s comments was quoted by Andrew. I hear the NYTIMEs is talking with her agent.”
Actually, the comment quoted by Andrew Sullivan was from a poster called South Paw, not Matoko Chan. While Matoko may stumble upon a few truths here and there, most of her comments read like an Aspergers sufferer on methedrine, and only create an urge to look away or to provide a cruel wedgie from the real alphas.
— Mark in Houston · Jul 9, 03:55 AM · #
haha, nope it was my comment.
click the link.
;)
Sully and I shall stand with drawn swords with the rest of the Medjai at the gates of Hamunaptra, City of the Dead, that Sarah Palin may never cross back into the land of the politically viable.
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 04:07 AM · #
I did. Here is the link.
The quotation is of Southpaw’s comment. And while I share the contempt for Palin that you and Sullivan have, I don’t withdraw the commentary about your style of rhetoric, such as it is.
— Mark in Houston · Jul 9, 04:17 AM · #
here’s mine
;)
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 05:06 AM · #
Also….I think southpaw is wrong.
Douthat is trying a misdirect with an eye to an eventual refurbishing of Palin for another run on the base.
He doesn’t actually believe in that democracy/meritocracy bullshytt…..he’s just another dealer stepping on his merchandise.
Douthat wants to blame the media for Palin’s fail…..but it was her own personal selfdestruct.
He and Dr. K want Sarah to go away and read books for a while…..I don’t think she is going to do it.
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 05:14 AM · #
I missed that one and stand corrected on the Andrew Sullivan link point.
— Mark in Houston · Jul 9, 01:05 PM · #
Dahlia Lithwick at Slate seems to think that Sarah P is simply incoherent.
— Daniel Dare · Jul 9, 01:31 PM · #
“I have a huge problem with the kind of elites that conservatives disdain, i.e., elitists: people in positions of power and influence who truly believe they just know better than the rest of us how to live, think and unfortunately, spend our money. In other words, the typical liberal/progressive”
I find this laugh-out-loud funny. Because theocons don’t want to tell the rest of us how to live and think? Because spending money on bombs, tanks and the occasional military adventure isn’t “spending my money?” Conservative elites do all of the things you claim to distain, every time they gain power (it’s not just Bush the Younger’s 8 years – though those were particularly illustrative).
The truth is that elites seek and gain power precisely because they do think they know best (that, and the chance to skim some $$). Keep that firmly in mind, and watch them. Vote, write, demonstrate, etc. accordingly. But don’t make the mistake of actually believing that YOUR preferred elites are humble civil servants.
— Rob in CT · Jul 9, 01:58 PM · #
“He and Dr. K want Sarah to go away and read books for a while”
Leave no child behind.
— cw · Jul 9, 02:22 PM · #
hehe, s’ok Mark.
My question is….with people like Sully and meh guarding the Gates of Hamunaptra….could Palin come back some day? I don’t actually believe she is going to do what the GOP elites want her to do….be quiet and backfill her resume. She is fuming and plotting right now.
But if she could stfu for a while…..how long would it take? What kind of environmental circumstances in the political landscape would benefit her? Would the media forget? Would the electorate?
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 02:34 PM · #
I think her speech patterns are actually the most interesting and revealing thing about Sarah. I wonder if she writes the same way she speaks?
— Daniel Dare · Jul 9, 03:14 PM · #
It’s just Heartland Pageant Speak. Haven’t you ever watched a beauty pageant?
The consistant use of the royal “we” and “our” is very weird though.
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 03:48 PM · #
Haven’t you ever watched a beauty pageant?
I am not confessing in public. I only watch them for the public service announcements.
— Daniel Dare · Jul 9, 04:03 PM · #
If you deconstruct her speech it sounds like a string of political slogans. The things she says don’t hang together all that well.
There is style but no plot. Rambling all over known space.
She can certainly talk.talk.talk though.
When she uses “we”, I assume she is referring to her state administration.
— Daniel Dare · Jul 9, 04:32 PM · #
Well…I think it is obvious why she quit….she got mad because her handlers were telling her what to do. Lithwick is pertinent.
Dr. K, Ross, Jonah and the rest of her GOP-elite wannabe handlers REALLY wanted her to go back to Alaska and be quiet and develop some street cred. She pretty much said F.U., my way or the highway. One of two things will happen….either there will be a core dump on Palin’s epic fail in the campaign (which would ruin her forever as a GOP tool I think) or we will see Douthat and company continue to spin the mythos of media persecution and “unreadiness”. I think that is what they will do…..because a core dump would destroy her utility permanently.
Meanwhile, the more she shoots off her mouth (and she will) the more Sully and his band of faithful Medjai will erode her credibility. Eventually, the media will crack and start reporting her perennial lies. Right now they seem to frightened of playing into the mythos of media persecution of Frakenbarbie.
Douthat and the elites have created a monster.
If they do the patriotic thing and out her as an unteachable loose cannon, they can’t use her on the base.
If they don’t out her, the chance that she will out herself in a devastatingly revealing presser to an increasingly braver and more-pressured (by the Medjai) MSM increases everyday.
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 05:12 PM · #
The “shoe” was the implicit threat to reveal just how bad she was in the campaign. She wasn’t smart enough to see they were bluffing. Not only would that destroy her future utlity, but completely de-legitimize McCain, a serving senator. See, either McCain didn’t vet her or it was a cynical pick to win the PUMAs.
And it would be obvious he also been covering up just how truly awful she was in the campaign, and how deeply, profoundly unfit she is to serve.
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 05:34 PM · #
Lithwick re palin:
“I’d be frustrated, too, if I thought I was offering up straight talk and nobody was getting the message. Especially if I held a degree in communications.”
I forgot about the degree in communications. That is like the icing on the icing on the irony on the cake. It’s like she was created by John Barth back in his when post modernisim was modern.
— cw · Jul 9, 05:46 PM · #
I’d sure prefer it if people instead addressed the argument about whether we’d be better off thinking of conservative elites as being elites.
I’m not sure where you took your elitist lessons, Conor, but I’m surprised they let you graduate without knowing what a ‘tautology’ is. Hint: people also think of seawater as water, … but not when they want a glass of water. Or to put it elitistly, shared broad classifications do not imply specific substitutabilities.
— Bo · Jul 9, 05:54 PM · #
Dr. K, Ross et al seem to truly have implacable faith in the Palin-crack.
She lies constantly, the MSM is eventually going to hold her accountable.
So far, screaming ELITIST! and evuul libruul MEDIA BIAS! has kept them back……but if theres enough chum in the water, eventually the circling sharks will attack.
If she doesn’t shut up, eventually the MSM will be forced to go for her.
I wonder what Ross thinks is going to happen…..I wonder most of all how Reihan can tolerate this…..
Does Reihan think this is good for the party?
And Dr. Riddick….words fail meh.
— matoko_chan · Jul 9, 07:06 PM · #
Lies all the time….rambling, incoherent strings of buzzwords designed to mobilize the ignorant….ignorance of basic political conepts and foreign affairs……indecisive and controlled by handlers…..uses family members and connections to personal advantage….seeks out and uses the LCD and fashionable opinion as red meat…relies on appearances and shallow assets as substitutes for substance and knowledge…..mentions ideas of the founders and philosophers while having no true comprehension of them….complains about elected officials’ dishonesty and allegiances to factions….seeks out whatever current bandwagon is most loaded and hops on…..Intellectually incurious and unwilling to engage in an open, civil exchange of ideas………always just raising the same focus-group tested issues that appeal to a certain closed-minded segment of the population…..relies on other elites for opportunities…..ambitions outweigh maturity and abilities…………?
Sorry, which politician/commenter were we talking about again? I’ve narrowed it down to a few dozen, but I know it’s not Palin because that’s the one topic Conor requested no further feedback about.
— Methinks Obsessed Toomuch · Jul 9, 08:46 PM · #
Douthat should throw her under the bus before it’s too late.
She won’t shuddap
— matoko_chan · Jul 10, 03:39 PM · #
Look, Conor, lets be honest.
The only way conservative elites differ from liberal elites is that conservative elites have to PRETEND to be non-elite so they can manipulate the non-elite/populist base.
— matoko_chan · Jul 10, 04:05 PM · #
This is Douthat’s faustian bargain. He should choose before it is too late.
The MSM has started to notice the endless pathological lying.
And he can’t shut her up. She is already merrily tweeting away.
She will dig her political grave with her tongue, and take Ross with her.
Douthat, unlike Kristol, Krauthammer and Jonah Goldberg is not utterly corrupt…..yet.
Save your soul before it is too late Ross.
— matoko_chan · Jul 10, 04:13 PM · #
ouch
The planets align.
;)
— matoko_chan · Jul 10, 04:42 PM · #
Now I predict another cleave in the conservative fold……Noonan and Conor and Reihan and Manzi and even Schwenkler will acknowledge the truth…K-lo, Lowry, Krauthamer and Jonah will not.
It is not too late for you, Ross.
Choose the Light.
— matoko_chan · Jul 10, 04:54 PM · #
“The only way conservative elites differ from liberal elites is that conservative elites have to PRETEND to be non-elite so they can manipulate the non-elite/populist base.”
But isn’t manipulation and populism exactly how liberal elites stay in power too? Investigations of price-control, tariffs, progressive taxes, welfare, taking the train to work, etc. are things that cons sometimes try too but not as effectively.
Obama saying he was a Michael Jackson fan is simply manipulating a different segment of the non-elites than Rep. King who demagogued to a different segment when he called Jackson a pervert.
How else do you propose people to make up their minds? foreign policy? economic theory? sober analysis of the tax code and the budget? Shallow things like looks, tastes, font, logos, and slogans are more accessible and interesting to most people.
Populism is just what democracies unavoidably breed, on both sides.
— Straw Man · Jul 10, 08:17 PM · #
Nope, Strawman.
This is the same old fight………just Kylon vs Pythagoras, 21st century style.
— matoko_chan · Jul 10, 10:22 PM · #
No, huh? Kylon = party of Lincoln, and Pythagoras = party of Jackson.
We are so blessed to be a country with a majority of elites.
No wonder you think you’re one.
— Straw Man · Jul 11, 01:15 AM · #
/sigh
this is the part where I always lose my temper.
Kylon represents the myth that all men are created equal.
They are not.
All men may have equal rights endowed to them by their by their creator.
But they do not have equal talents (phenome) or equal virtue (memome).
The conservative movement has lead with stealth elites, the natural aristoi that pretended to be commoners to be accepted by the base.
An intellectually impoverished horrorshow like Palin (who actually BELIEVES that there is a “department of law” associated with the WH that would protect her from lawsuits) is simply unfit and incapable of serving in high office.
This is a meritocracy, and the natural aristoi will lead.
All men are created equal is simply an untruth.
— matoko_chan · Jul 11, 02:22 AM · #
And perhaps republicans were once the party of Jefferson and Lincoln…..but no more.
Now republicans are the party of Kylon.
— matoko_chan · Jul 11, 02:25 AM · #
“All men may have equal rights endowed to them by their by their creator.”
“All men are created equal is simply an untruth”
Maybe you wouldn’t lose yr tempre if yr opinions cud make n/e sense. Jus cuz no one wants tuh talk tuh madmen don’t make em rt.
“pretended to be commoners.” – yes, only the GOP. Only now. The democrats control 2 branches by being out of touch with the lowbrow concerns of the everyman and only represent the majority of enlightened elites in America like you.
And why do you think “talent” or “virtue” has anything to do with rights? Why do the elites deserve more? Because you hate most human beings? And why? Cuz they are worse than you? No true elite (or any semi-rational person) would think that – so I think deep down you know you are Palin’s equal.
Don’t they only deserve to be sacrificed to the great God Kylon as obvious deformities and blemishes of the human race that can only live peacefully and harmoniously once all the troublemakers are turned to smoke in order to please the nostrils of Mighty Ky?
Join us, you are obviously not one of them. You are equal. The unequal are not human – they are abominations – the children of the mad hubristic experiment of the anti-Ky who thought he could turn men into gods. Instead he only produced these half-men, twisted vestiges of nature, known as “nerds,” “wonks,” “pansies,” “geeks,” and “pasties.” Join us and help weed them out of the human garden so we might be a uniformed unity of equals again. They deserve nothing for their freakishness and troublemaking, and dangerous, war-causing ideas. There will only be peace and justice once these ambitious arrogant sons of the anti-Ky are put down and humanity will be cleansed of the impure crybaby pretenders and agitators who mislead others into war over big words and imaginary concepts (virtue, talent, rights).
Lincoln was Kylon, and Jackson before him.
The evil mutated deviants are bipartisan, but so is Kylon. He is gentle and forgiving and will accept you back once you again come to your senses and accept the obvious – the beautiful people and those who judge by natural lights and appearances are better than you and we deserve all power and rights over you. We don’t want war, honor, or money, just peace and harmony. We are legion and will stamp out the stubborn minority of grabbers who are unhappy with their common lot and equality to us. For all they are unequal in is dissatisfaction and dark energy. Join Kylon and you will then be able to talk about rights coherently, for only we desire what is good and natural for the human animal, rather than these imaginary “talents” and “virtue” you speak of.
Otherwise you will be cursed to roam the ether and keep repeating to all who already know:
“Not all bananas are clones. It is a lie and myth perpetrated by the Dungeon Master’s wizard ghost. Some are tastier so deserve more, even if their skins are too thin and the other bananas outnumber and overpower them. Just cuz Chiquita and Dole were banana distributors they are no more – Palin changed everything. She is all-powerful and I will stalk her cuz Ima knight of Vulva, of the order of the hooded protectors of repetitive stupidity,” over and over until the 3rd Reckoning and the final veil of Kylon’s bride is shorn (that’s a long time in earth years).
— Straw Man · Jul 11, 05:30 AM · #
For experience proves that the
moral and physical qualities of man, whether good or evil, are
transmissible in a certain degree from father to son. But I suspect
that the equal rights of men will rise up against this privileged
Solomon, and oblige us to continue acquiescence under the {‘Amayrosis
geneos aston} [“the degeneration of the race of men”] which Theognis
complains of, and to content ourselves with the accidental aristoi
produced by the fortuitous concourse of breeders. For I agree with
you that there is a natural aristocracy among men. The grounds of
this are virtue and talents.
That is the basis for the meritocracy of America.
My very favorite Jefferson quote.
“I have sworn on the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”- Thomas Jefferson
And the tyranny of ignorance and the “monkish chains of superstition” and willfull partisanship is the greatest tyranny of all.
— matoko_chan · Jul 11, 02:24 PM · #
The elephant in the room, is that Palin is simply stupid. It is willfull ignorance, because nothing prevents her from reading a book on the Department of Justice or the Executive Branch, or indeed, from reading any number of books that would enlighten and educate her on the mechanisms of government and history and other nations.
And no one forced her to make up patently false and unbelieveable stories about Trig’s birth and her reasons for resigning.
It is simply stupid to believe these stories, which she volunteered, would not be factchecked.
— matoko_chan · Jul 11, 02:46 PM · #
Well…stupid…..or insane.
You pick.
Hmm….Levi also says that Palin was having a very hard time doing the governor job.
— matoko_chan · Jul 11, 03:36 PM · #
I warned you of the Curse of Asserto Nonsequitorius.
You are not even able to respond to the topic of this post or any of the comments.
It’s not to late to break the curse if you can let go of your desire to be better than the equality Jefferson thought greatness was “obliged to acquiesce to” and serve. A natural aristocracy must serve the course of nature and the God Jefferson swore to (Kylon).
Jefferson, of course, was willing to sacrifice, in a genocidal worldwide revolution, every other elite on the planet in a genocidal revolution, who did not acquiesce to nature and the hand of History (Kylon), so that equality, peace, and justice might have a chance to reign after humanity starts over with an understanding of our natural equality and the knowledge that all social inequalities are self-imposed and have no ultimate bearing on anything.
And now when others rise to help complete Jefferson’s work and realize Kylon’s will to remove the tumor of ambitious wannabe tyrants who try to aggrandize themselves in the minds of men through ideas and eloquence; when we are on the cusp of perhaps finally curing the unfair, unequal conditions that give rise to their pretenses and hubris, you stand against her – the culmination and heir of Jefferson’s noble work for Kylon (whose name I will not mention out of respect to Conor’s request, and cuz I’m not so obsessed)?!?
It is time to give up your own willful ignorance of your duty: to finally understand your own favorite quotation and do what you are obligated to do – follow Jefferson and direct any sense you have of greatness, talent, and superiority toward the great cause of justice, peace and equality. Turn these insignificant blemishes of your character into something useful for humanity.
Join us and Jefferson in the leveling. Manipulate the masses to purge humanity of the asymmetry of these “unequal” freaks. Exorcise the true demons of the race – those self-appointed high priests of merit and grabbers of entitlement who think they can rightfully claim the title of aristocrat without first recognizing the fundamental equality of all things of a natural kind and without helping realize the divine idea of their own kind, as a harmonious unity of equals. There is no other route to peace and justice than the level path Kylon has paved for us.
I and my comrades of equals will pray for you. Kylon is not your enemy. Kylon loves you and what makes you equal to us – your humanity. I know it is still in there.
— Straw Man · Jul 11, 05:42 PM · #
Dude, ima cyborg.
Homo sapiens transhumanicus cyberneticus.
We are not equal.
— matoko_chan · Jul 11, 06:52 PM · #
Also..the human part of meh…is the product of assortative mating between elites.
How do you level assortative mating?
— matoko_chan · Jul 11, 08:15 PM · #
And also…..Kylon IS my sworn enemy, and the sworn enemy of the mathematekoi and the akousmatekoi wherever we may be.
— matoko_chan · Jul 11, 08:42 PM · #