Mr. Tea
Let's Talk About Ceps
On a more serious note:
"everybody in my country along with most of western civilization is heavily brainwashed daily by the media and it goes all the way up"
As opposed to Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, North Korea and Burma, where people enjoy a freedom of speech we in the repressive West can only dream of?
Yes, no-one's perfect and there're dodgy dealings and behind-the-scenes manouverings committed by ALL governments, but some people need to take their heads out of their arses. I mean, have you looked at the front page of any of our national newspapers lately? I wouldn't be surprised if no other country's government is so thoroughly and regularly criticized by its own press!
"everybody in my country along with most of western civilization is heavily brainwashed daily by the media and it goes all the way up"
As opposed to Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, North Korea and Burma, where people enjoy a freedom of speech we in the repressive West can only dream of?
Yes, no-one's perfect and there're dodgy dealings and behind-the-scenes manouverings committed by ALL governments, but some people need to take their heads out of their arses. I mean, have you looked at the front page of any of our national newspapers lately? I wouldn't be surprised if no other country's government is so thoroughly and regularly criticized by its own press!
Presumably not. Why would one expect this? English, like any other langauge, has changed massively over time; many of these changes are due to historical and geographical accidents. Even if your speculation is right there is no reason to think there is any English analogue out there, necessarily.
Twin Earth notwithstanding
Guybrush
Dittohead
Oh, come on. Instead of resorting to, in William de Vaughn’s words, ‘be thankful for what you’ve got’, how about some real arguments?
The defence speech of every dictator ever.
The situation for the press in these countries is irrelevant when discussing these issues. Also, do note that the ‘brainwashing’ he wrote about has less to do with freedom of speech and more to do with, say, vulgar capitalism or cultural peculiarities.
MATT MAson
BROADSIDE
I'm venturing a guess Parson was referring to people's attitudes about UFOs in the media initially, that's not to say media all over the world isn't bias about something or another.
There is some really good UFO research being done, and there should be more. It would be helpful if it wasn't ridiculed in the press. For more on that - look at this paper by a guy from Stanford.
http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/articles/ufo_reports/sturrock/toc.html
There is some really good UFO research being done, and there should be more. It would be helpful if it wasn't ridiculed in the press. For more on that - look at this paper by a guy from Stanford.
http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/articles/ufo_reports/sturrock/toc.html
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Parson
Guest
i wasn't just talking about ufos
i was talking about the media in general
i just had an argument with a girl who was trying to tell me thc was toxic and that criminalization of marijuana was a good thing.
brainwashing goes far beyond ufos
i was talking about the media in general
i just had an argument with a girl who was trying to tell me thc was toxic and that criminalization of marijuana was a good thing.
brainwashing goes far beyond ufos
swears
preppy-kei
Do you have one of those posters with a "grey" on it smoking a spliff, with the caption "Take me to your dealer." underneath?
Mr. Tea
Let's Talk About Ceps
Hahaha.
Well, ANY drug is toxic if you use too much of it, isn't it? People who get stoned day in day out for a long time end up as cabbages. And that's not to mention the drug's well-known tendency to exacerbate or trigger schizophrenia - a cousin of mine died of misadventure/maybe-suicide a couple of yeaars ago after suffering mental health difficulties for some time, which I can't help but link to his very heavy cannabis use at one point.
I have to say I'm in favour of the legalisation of most drugs, including cannabis - it's just up to people to use it responsibly. I mean, look at the damage you can do to yourself with booze and tobacco, for God's sake, but I would never call for them to be banned.
Well, ANY drug is toxic if you use too much of it, isn't it? People who get stoned day in day out for a long time end up as cabbages. And that's not to mention the drug's well-known tendency to exacerbate or trigger schizophrenia - a cousin of mine died of misadventure/maybe-suicide a couple of yeaars ago after suffering mental health difficulties for some time, which I can't help but link to his very heavy cannabis use at one point.
I have to say I'm in favour of the legalisation of most drugs, including cannabis - it's just up to people to use it responsibly. I mean, look at the damage you can do to yourself with booze and tobacco, for God's sake, but I would never call for them to be banned.
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Mr. Tea
Let's Talk About Ceps
What do you mean by 'cultural perculiarities', exactly? As for vulgar capitalism, I'm well aware that I'm bombarded by advertisement all day and every day, and I can't say I care for it, but it doesn't particularly bother me, because I was brought up to know that there are more important things in life than owning stuff.
On the point of erosion of liberty, yes, the current government's recent behaviour does worry me, but it's no good pretending that the security threats we face at the moment are somehow 'cooked up' simply to justify new legal powers. Having said that I think the ID card scheme is going to be a complete waste of money, although that's more for technological than political reasons.
Guybrush
Dittohead
Let’s have another look at what you wrote originally (the quoted part is Parson’s writing):
You were suggesting, by juxtapositioning, that the ‘brainwash’ Parson wrote about (by which I interpreted him as meaning the cumulative effect of media’s message-bombardment being conformism and uniformity) has anything to do with freedom of speech. I suggested that they are unrelated, instead hinting at other possible sources, the cultural climate and the economic system being two of them.
Mr. Tea
Let's Talk About Ceps
I see what you mean, namely, that the 'brainwashing' does not necessarily equal direct government propaganda. Fair enough, I accept that, and I accept that the mass media in this country (particularly the newspapers) don't exactly do much to promote a harmonious, happy society.
On the other hand, I get most of my news from the BBC, for which I'm eternally grateful.
On the other hand, I get most of my news from the BBC, for which I'm eternally grateful.
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Parson
Guest
sugar-free gum poses a bigger threat to society than thc
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/70/80972.htm
"Marijuana is a remarkably safe and non-toxic drug that can effectively treat about 30 different conditions," he tells WebMD. "I predict it will become the aspirin of the 21st century, as more people recognize this."
"This is merely confirming what was known over 100 years ago, as well as what was learned by various government findings doing similar research -- marijuana is not toxic, but it is a highly effective medicine."
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/70/80972.htm
"Marijuana is a remarkably safe and non-toxic drug that can effectively treat about 30 different conditions," he tells WebMD. "I predict it will become the aspirin of the 21st century, as more people recognize this."
"This is merely confirming what was known over 100 years ago, as well as what was learned by various government findings doing similar research -- marijuana is not toxic, but it is a highly effective medicine."
Slothrop
Tight but Polite
On the other hand, direct government propoganda is a form of brainwashing...
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Parson
Guest
multiple means to an end
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Parson
Guest
so you're saying people who were primed for robotdom have rejected the machine and havent figured out what to do
it happens
sucks for them
Mr. Tea
Let's Talk About Ceps
Yeah man, FIGHT THE POWER!
If by "rejecting the machine" you mean "settling into a cozy life of dole cheques, Trisha and emphysema", then yes, I guess you're right. Given the choice, though, I'd rather be a mindless drone-pawn in the eeevil soul-destroying capitalist system with loads of totally unnecessary things I've been brainwashed into thinking I need, like a job, the use of my higher mental functions and a flat that doesn't smell like a rasta's armpit.
Come off it, since when has getting stoned been a revolutionary act? We ALL know that too much of ANY drug can fuck you up. Most drugs are reasonably harmless in moderation. I can't believe I'm actually typing this stuff, it's so fucking obvious.
Mr. Tea
Let's Talk About Ceps
Oh yeah, just seen this.
Got news for you, Parson - that's not 'species', it's VARIETIES.
That wasn't a documentary, that was a Heinz commercial.
Seriously, dude, you should lay off 'da reefer'...
Got news for you, Parson - that's not 'species', it's VARIETIES.
That wasn't a documentary, that was a Heinz commercial.
Seriously, dude, you should lay off 'da reefer'...
Panspermia is a ridiculous idea. If life didn't originate on Earth but came here from 'elsewhere', it had to have originated 'elsewhere', right? Just shifts along the burden of evolution to another planet, AND requires that life got here 'somehow'.
Guybrush
Dittohead
You are right, it is used wrongly here. I defend my use of ‘brainwash’ on the ‘Nature of Evil’ thread, though.