It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

THE JOYS OF POLITICAL DISCOURSE. Asymmetrical Information links to a couple fo blogs that say essentially the same thing about today's political discourse in different and interesting ways. Behind door number one:

I've noticed some recent changes in the nature of the political debate in this country which I thought I'd share with my readers. Perhaps you have noticed some of these same things yourself. I feel it is instructive, at times, to step back a bit, take the "big picture" view, and see what it can tell us about ourselves, and the world around us. It is this which I intend to do here.

I've noticed, recently, that people who disagree with me are stupid and dumb. I can't really believe they are as stupid and dumb as they seem, so I think they must be crazy as well.

Why are they so crazy? Well, any discussion of this would have to begin with how stupid and dumb they are. Imagine if you were so stupid and dumb that you actually disagreed with me, even when I was totally right? That would be enough to drive anyone crazy.

Any time you find yourself nodding in agreement with sweeping statements made about the idiocy, the mendacity, or the insanity of the neo-cons, the liberals, Hollywood, gun-totin' NRA members, Koreans, Arabs, Muslims, Christians, or members of a myriad other groups, chances are you have long since ceased to engage with their arguments and seek only to reinforce your previously held conceptions about said group.

Behind door number two:

Of course the World Trade Center bombings are a uniquely tragic event, and it is vital that we never lose sight of the human tragedy involved. However, we must also consider if this is not also a lesson to us all; a lesson that my political views are correct. Although what is done can never be undone, the fact remains that if the world were organised according to my political views, this tragedy would never have happened.

. . . .

Of course the World Trade Center attacks are a uniquely tragic event, and it is vital that we never lose sight of the human tragedy involved. But we must also not lose sight of the fact that I am right on every significant moral and political issue, and everybody ought to agree with me. Please, I ask you as fellow human beings, vote for the political party which I support, and ask your legislators to support policies endorsed by me, as a matter of urgency.