"Truism"

[BuffetBandit]

My Hero!!!! Well-said

Independent reflections on independent thought.

By STEPHEN DAUSE

YOUTH CORRESPONDENT

In 1978, 900 cult followers committed mass-suicide by drinking a concoction of Kool-Aid laced with cyanide, in Jamestown, Guyana.

Ever since, some have used the term "Kool-Aid drinker" to refer to one irrationally dedicated to a cause.

There are many Kool-Aid drinkers in politics today--some of them officeholders, others voters, some of them bureaucrats, others common people. Some of them are Democrats, others Republicans.

However, they all share one thing in common: They are committed to ideology rather than logic, and assume the logic of their ideology will be a shortcut to actual thinking.

Before you get too frustrated with this type of person, think to yourself for a moment. Are you a Kool-Aid drinker?

After all, you wouldn't admit to being one even if you were.

Some people would call me a Kool-Aid drinker--others call me a deep thinker. It is somewhat subjective.

Just make sure you aren't automatically siding yourself with your party or ideology in a debate. Listen to the other side of your first opinion on a subject, and imagine yourself in a debate with them. Could you hold your own?

If you really could, this means you are thinking independently, because you are not just citing your party line's thoughts but are quickly adapting to other's opinions and logically reasoning out why you think they're wrong.

Without Kool-Aid drinkers, we would be left only with apathetic, disengaged Americans and thoughtful, reasoning, intellectually committed ones.

Kool-Aid drinkers make up the base of both parties and give us our red-state/blue-state map--they're who other, more clever Kool-Aid drinkers who hold office pander to the most.

Often, political commercials using logical fallacies work only to inspire the Kool-Aid drinkers--making only a marginal impact on the apathetic voters.

Kool-Aid drinkers are indeed a key part of the United States political system, and understanding them goes a long way in understanding how our government works.

Alas, what can be done? Not much--except making sure you yourself are committed to using your brain instead of repeating your party's talking points.

STEPHEN DAUSE is a junior at Colonial Forge High School.

My, my, my, I could not have said it any better. What a message! Too bad he cannot vote yet.

 

[tallcal101]

RE: My Hero!!!! Well-said

He's got my vote if he ever runs(an ex democratic kool aid drinker)

 

[Peace2All]

RE: My Hero!!!! Well-said

I heard that!

 

[Moot]

RE: My Hero!!!! Well-said

"Long live the Kool-Aid Drinker"

Jimmy Jones, November 18, 1978


Ever since, some have used the term "Kool-Aid drinker" to refer to one irrationally dedicated to a cause. Irrationally???????? That's a bit mild.

If the "Kool-Aid drinkers" in politics really were "kool-Aid drinkers" well............... Bottoms up!

 

[ratwell71]

RE: My Hero!!!! Well-said

Hopefully they (bad politicians) all like Kool-Aid. I am with you with the bottoms up comment. Hee hee. I about died with laughter.

 

[joebob1_30132]

RE: Passionate?

10-4 dave ...buy cheap farm land now.. lease it to a soy or corn farmer..dont have to farm.. jusst lease the land to someone who does..preferrably with a daughter that looks like Ellie May Clamppet

 

[dhalltoyo]

Science?

1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

Science does not have the answer and the writer knew this fact! There is no new thing under the sun almost 2,000 years later.

NASA, what a joke. Gee, we learned how to eat dehydrated foods and everybody has a microwave. Great scientific gains? Not! One quick look at NASA's mission statement reveals that their entire motive for space exploration is to disprove the existence of God the creator.

Romans 1:18-22 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

 

[ratwell71]

RE: Science?

These things we call "progress" are going to kill us! Big businesses polluting our environment, water supplies, food supplies, and soils. You cannot even eat fish every day because of the mercury levels in them. Let's not forget all the new diseases that so-called "evolved". Have you read the latest on the mad cow disease? The microbe that is responsible for making these cows sick can stay dormant in the brain for fifteen years before your brain starts to turn to mush. I limit my intake of all meat these days. How wonder all these new stores are emerging to sell us organic foods! Now these morons are making money by scaring us. We will finally wake up when we are all forced to where oxygen mask in order to breath.

Here is a fact, I never had bottled water when I was growing up. Pollute, pollute, pollute. We, humans, destroy everything we touch. "We" all are guilty of it.

A rich man has his needs met and does not want.

 

[dhalltoyo]

RE: Science?

Read "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair.

It talks about the food processing industry back in the 20's.

Same thing we are hearing today about contaminents in the food chain and we are still here.

Again, "No new thing under the sun!"

PS. A river caught on fire in Akron, OH back in the 60's due to the unchecked discharge by one of the tire manufacturers. It is a clean river today. Lake Erie is 100 times cleaner than it was 10 years ago. We just need to remind corporations that we are watching and they will be motivated to watch their industrial wastes.

 

[Moot]

RE: Science?

Hi my name is Moot. (Everyone together... Hi Moot) And I'm a uh a an expediter. I drive a van with an internal combustion engine. I pollute. I also eat food. I pollute.

Sure NASA gave us Tang. I used to eat it dry. It was cheaper than Lik-Um-Ade. Most of the techno-goodies we have today can be traced to the military or NASA. If you are reading this thank a teacher. If you are reading this on a computer thank a NASA or DOD engineer. If you obtained this twisted rant from the internet, thank Al Gore.

The point is (I'm not sure if I'm making a point or just rambling) we are all in this together. Technolgy will continue to evolve. We will continue to evolve. We are all responsible. This isn't the Garden of Eden anymore. But it ain't bad.

Bashing technology, pollution, progress or whatever from the comfort of a climate controlled house or truck using a computer comes across as a bit odd to me. People like Jimmy Jones who didn't like where we were going chose to get of THE BUS. Seems extreme.

All this talk about Tang and Kool-Aid got me thinking. What if Jimmy had all his followers eat Fizzies and then duct tape their mouths shut. There's nothing quite like eating a root beer Fizzie
and having brown foam spew from your nose and ears. Look Pa, Ole Yeller gots the hydrophobes.

Jeez, maybe I should think about getting off THE BUS. Or a least getting on a SHORT BUS. Wow too much coffee and no breakfast. Time to mix up a Carnation Instant Breakfast and nuke a Pop Tart. Then walk the dog, pedal the bike and wash the van. 72 degree high temp for Minneapolis/St. Paul. today. I'm home, #3 on the Minnesota board and that's the way I like!

 

[ratwell71]

RE: Science?

Technology will continue to go forward because it has to. It has to keep up in order to clean up the mess we made for ourselves.

Anyway, as always I enjoyed the post. I like to read the differences of opinions.